Xueliang Gao

Xueliang Gao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He holds a PhD and has extensive training, including postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His primary research focuses on cancer biology, with emphasis on molecular and metabolic signaling pathways in tumorigenesis, discovery of diagnostic markers, and development of therapeutic strategies targeting prostate cancer, cancer immunology, and the PI3K signaling pathway.

Education & Experience:

• PhD from Georgia State University/Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence
• Postdoctoral training at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School
• Prior role as an Instructor in Pathology at Harvard Medical School

Research Interests:

• Elucidating roles of cell cycle proteins (e.g., CDK4/6, Cyclin D) in cancer progression
• Mechanisms of metabolic reprogramming in tumors, including pyruvate kinase M2 and PFKP functions
• Targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways and PTEN deficiency in castration-resistant prostate cancer
• Immunotherapy resistance and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia pathogenesis

Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes therapeutic strategies for immunotherapy resistance, CDK6 signaling, and understanding metastatic pathways in prostate and pancreatic cancers. Key themes include enzyme multitasking (e.g., PFKP kinase activity) and cellular metabolism-drug interactions.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at MUSC and Harvard, focusing on translational cancer research and preclinical drug development. His lab investigates novel biomarkers and combination therapies for advanced cancers.