Ya-Xiong Tao

Dr. Ya-Xiong Tao is a Professor at Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology. He joined the institution in 2004 and holds a PhD from the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Research Focus:

• Structure-function relationships of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)
• Neural melanocortin receptors (MC3R and MC4R) in energy homeostasis regulation
• Molecular defects in obesity-related receptor mutations
• Ligand binding and receptor activation mechanisms, including biased signaling
• Multi-disciplinary approaches: pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, computer modeling

Awards:

• Zoetis Award for Research Excellence (2015)
• L.G. Wolfe Award for Excellence in Graduate Instruction (2011)