Biography

• Dr. Xu received his B.S., master and Ph.D. degrees in The Fourth Military Medical University followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in Kyushu University. In 1999, He joined college of life science of University of Science and Technology of China as a principal investigator, and moved to ION in 2003. Since 2011, he has been the dean of department of anatomy and physiology in Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Since 2020, he has also been the director of center for children’s brain science in National Children's Medical Center (Shanghai). He is also the executive director of Songjiang Institute.

• Dr. Xu’s laboratory is dedicated to the interpretation of brain cognitive principles and clinical translational research. At the microscopic scale, he aim to elucidate the signal transduction mechanisms of neuronal cells and their physiological functions, and to investigate the role and mechanisms of the novel ion channel ASIC in synaptic plasticity and learning memory. At the mesoscopic scale, he focus the long-range and local circuit mechanisms of "emotion (e.g., fear, happiness)-mood-empathy" and their interactions with memory, attention and social behavior from the perspective of "memory engram" to inspire new techniques of precise neuromodulation.

Publications

1. Wang Q, Zhu JJ, Wang L, Kan YP, Liu YM, Wu YJ, Gu X, Yi X, Lin ZJ, Wang Q, Lu JF, Jiang Q, Li Y, Liu MG, Xu NJ, Zhu MX, Wang LY, Zhang S*, Li WG*, Xu TL* (2022) Insular cortical circuits as an executive gateway to decipher threat or extinction memory via distinct subcortical pathways. Nature Communications 13(1):5540.

2. Gu X#, Wu YJ#, Zhang Z, Zhu JJ, Wu XR, Wang Q, Yi X, Lin ZJ, Jiao ZH, Xu M, Jiang Q, Li Y, Xu NJ, Zhu MX, Wang LY, Jiang F*, Xu TL*, Li WG* (2022) Dynamic tripartite construct of interregional engram circuits underlies forgetting of extinction memory. Molecular Psychiatry doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01684-7.

3. Azoulay IS#, Qi X#, Rozenfeld M, Liu F, Hu Q, Ben Kasus Nissim T, Stavsky A, Zhu MX, Xu TL*, Sekler I* (2022) ASIC1a senses lactate uptake to regulate metabolism in neurons. Redox Biology 51:102253.

4. Li WG#, Wu YJ#, Gu X#, Fan HR, Wang Q, Zhu JJ, Yi X, Wang Q, Jiang Q, Li Y, Yuan TF, Xu H, Lu J, Xu NJ, Zhu MX, Xu TL* (2021) Input associativity underlies fear memory renewal. National Science Review 8(9):nwab004.

5. Wang JJ#, Liu F#, Yang F, Wang YZ, Qi X, Li Y, Hu Q*, Zhu MX*, Xu TL* (2020) Disruption of auto-inhibition underlies conformational signaling of ASIC1a to induce neuronal necroptosis. Nature Communications 11(1):475.

6. Su X#, Chen M#, Yuan Y, Li Y, Guo SS, Luo HQ, Huang C, Sun W, Li Y, Zhu MX, Liu MG*, Hu J*, Xu TL* (2019) Central processing of itch in the midbrain reward center. Neuron, 102(4):858-872.

7. Wang Q#, Wang Q#, Song XL, Jiang Q, Wu YJ, Li Y, Yuan TF, Zhang S, Xu NJ, Zhu MX, Li WG*, Xu TL* (2018) Fear extinction requires ASIC1a-dependent regulation of hippocampal-prefrontal correlates. Science Advances, 4(10):eaau3075.

8. Yu Z#, Wu YJ#, Wang YZ, Liu DS, Song XL, Jiang Q, Li Y, Zhang SY, Xu NJ, Zhu MX, Li WG*, Xu TL* (2018) ASIC1a mediates striatal synapse remodeling and procedural motor learning. Science Signaling, 11(542):eaar4481.

9. Li WG#, Liu MG#, Deng S#, Liu YM, Shang L, Ding J, Hsu TT, Jiang Q, Li Y, Li F*, Zhu MX*, Xu TL* (2016) ASIC1a regulates insular long-term depression and is required for the extinction of conditioned taste aversion. Nature Communications, 7: 13770.

10. Wang YZ#, Wang JJ#, Huang Y, Liu F, Zeng WZ, Li Y, Xiong ZG, Zhu MX, Xu TL* (2015) Tissue acidosis induces neuronal necroptosis via ASIC1a channel independent of its ionic conduction. eLife.4: e05682.

11. Peng Z#, Li WG#, Huang C, Jiang YM, Wang X, Zhu MX, Cheng X*, Xu TL* (2015) ASIC3 mediates itch sensation in response to coincident stimulation by acid and nonproton ligand. Cell Reports, 13(2): 387-398.

12. Wang YZ, Zeng WZ, Xiao X, Huang Y, Song XL, Yu Z, Tang D, Dong XP, Zhu MX, Xu TL* (2013) Intracellular ASIC1a regulates mitochondrial permeability transition-dependent neuronal death. Cell Death and Differentiation, 20(10): 1359-1369.

13. Zeng WZ, Liu DS, Duan B, Song XL, Wang X, Wei D, Jiang W, Zhu MX, Li Y, Xu TL* (2013) Molecular mechanism of constitutive endocytosis of acid-sensing ion channel 1a and its protective function in acidosis-induced neuronal death. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(16): 7066-7078.

14. Wang X, Li WG, Yu Y, Xiao X, Cheng J, Zeng WZ, Peng Z, Zhu MX, Xu TL* (2013) Serotonin facilitates peripheral pain sensitivity in a manner that depends on the nonproton ligand sensing domain of ASIC3 channel. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(10): 4265-4279.

15. Duan B#, Liu DS#, Huang Y, Zeng WZ, Wang X, Yu H, Zhu MX, Chen ZY, Xu TL* (2012) PI3-kinase/Akt pathway-regulated membrane insertion of Acid-sensing ion channel 1a underlies BDNF-induced pain hypersensitivity. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(18): 6351-6363.

16. Duan B#, Wang YZ#, Yang T, Chu XP, Yu Y, Huang Y, Cao H, Hansen J, Simon RP, Zhu MX, Xiong ZG, Xu TL* (2011) Extracellular spermine exacerbates ischemic neuronal injury through sensitization of ASIC1a channels to extracellular acidosis. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(6): 2101-2112.

17. Yu Y#, Chen Z#, Li WG#, Cao H, Feng EG, Yu F, Liu H, Jiang H*, Xu TL* (2010) A nonproton ligand sensor in the acid-sensing ion channel. Neuron, 68(1): 61-72.

18. Pan X#, Gong N#, Zhao J, Yu Z, Gu F, Chen J, Sun X, Zhao L, Yu M, Xu Z, Dong W, Qin Y, Fei G, Zhong C*, Xu TL* (2010) Powerful beneficial effects of benfotiamine on cognitive impairment and beta-amyloid deposition in amyloid precursor protein/presenilin-1 transgenic mice. Brain, 133(5): 1342-1351.

19. Xu TL*, Gong N (2010) Glycine and glycine receptor signaling in hippocampal neurons: diversity, function and regulation. Progress in Neurobiology, 91(4): 349-361.

20. Yang H#, Yu Y#, Li WG, Yu F, Cao H, Xu TL*, Jiang H* (2009) Inherent dynamics of the acid-sensing ion channel 1 correlates with the gating mechanism. PLoS Biology, 7(7): e1000151.

21. Xu TL*, Duan B (2009) Calcium-permeable acid-sensing ion channel in nociceptive plasticity: a new target for pain control. Progress in Neurobiology, 87(3): 171-180.

22. Gong N, Li Y, Cai GQ, Niu RF, Fang Q, Wu K, Chen Z, Lin LN, Xu L, Fei J, Xu TL* (2009) GABA transporter-1 activity modulates hippocampal theta oscillation and theta burst stimulation-induced long-term potentiation. Journal of Neuroscience, 29(50): 15836-15845.

23. Zhang Z, Gong N, Wang W, Xu L, Xu TL* (2008) Bell-shaped D-serine actions on hippocampal long-term depression and spatial memory retrieval. Cerebral Cortex, 18(10): 2391-2401.

24. Zhang LH#, Gong N#, Fei D, Xu L, Xu TL* (2008) Glycine uptake regulates hippocampal network activity via glycine receptor-mediated tonic inhibition. Neuropsychopharmacology, 33(3):701-711.

25. Duan B, Wu LJ, Yu YQ, Ding Y, Jing L, Xu L, Chen J*, Xu TL* (2007) Upregulation of acid-sensing ion channel ASIC1a in spinal dorsal horn neurons contributes to inflammatory pain hypersensitivity. Journal of Neuroscience, 27(41): 11139-11148.

26. Gao J, Duan B, Wang DG, Deng XH, Zhang GY, Xu L, Xu TL* (2005) Coupling between NMDA receptor and acid-sensing ion channel contributes to ischemic neuronal death. Neuron, 48(4):635-646.