Xiaofeng Jia

Xiaofeng Jia, BM, PhD, FCCM is a tenured Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine with secondary appointments in Neurobiology and Orthopaedics. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Jia directs the Neurosurgical Stem Cell Research laboratory and the Translational Neuroengineering and Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). His academic journey includes an MD from Zhejiang Medical University (1994), an MS in Surgery from Shanghai Medical University (1997), and a PhD in Surgery (Orthopaedics) from Fudan University (2003), followed by postdoctoral training in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University (2004-2007).

Dr. Jia's primary research interests span stem cell therapy, peripheral nerve injury and regeneration, brain recovery after cardiac arrest, metabolic glycoengineering, brain monitoring and therapeutic hypothermia, spinal cord injury, and bone regeneration. His laboratory focuses on three major research thrusts: 1) Developing glycan-based interventions via metabolic glycoengineering to improve neural stem cell therapies for brain recovery after cardiac arrest; 2) Enhancing adipose stem cell adhesion and differentiation for peripheral nerve regeneration; and 3) Exploring pathological mechanisms and novel therapeutic methods for spinal cord injury. His work bridges fundamental neuroscience with clinical applications, emphasizing translational approaches to neurological injuries.

Analysis of Dr. Jia's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward metabolic glycoengineering of neural stem cells for treating brain injury after cardiac arrest, with significant emphasis on neuroinflammation regulation and comparative therapeutic efficacy studies. His research consistently integrates advanced biomaterials, stem cell engineering, and sophisticated neurological monitoring techniques to develop novel interventions for neurological recovery.

• Society of Critical Care Medicine Star Research Achievement Award (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Society of Critical Care Medicine Presidential Citation Award (2022)
• NIH/NINDS RO1 grants as PI (2018-2027)
• Highlighted in NIH Research Matters and NIH Research Highlights (2015)
• Recipient of AAHS Annual Research Award (2008)

Dr. Jia has secured substantial research funding including multiple NIH/NINDS RO1 grants as Principal Investigator, Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund awards, and American Heart Association funding. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Section: Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics) and has held numerous editorial positions with Frontiers journals. His professional leadership includes serving as Chair of the Research Section Steering Committee for the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and as a Chartered Member of NIH study sections. Dr. Jia's laboratory maintains active collaborations with Johns Hopkins University and focuses on developing clinically translatable interventions for neurological injuries.