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Ding Xu, PhD

Associate Professor

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Dr. Xu has been studying heparan sulfate his whole scientific career. He was highly fortunate to be mentored by two leading experts in heparan sulfate biology. With Dr. Jian Liu at UNC Chapel Hill, he studied biosynthetic enzymes of heparan sulfate and became an expert in HS structure, HS biosynthesis, protein expression and purification, and structural biology. With Dr. Jeff Esko at UCSD, he studied the physiological roles of heparan sulfate in vascular biology, inflammation and infection, during which time he became an expert in cell biology and animal models of human diseases. In 2014, Dr. Xu moved to the University at Buffalo to established his own lab with a new direction to study the role of HS in bone remodeling. Benefitted from his diverse training background, the type of study his lab is conducting is highly multidisciplinary, often spans structural biology, biochemistry, cell biology, genetically modified murine models and development of therapeutics. In 2024, Dr. Xu moved to his current position in the Department of Orthopaedics at Emory University.  

Education and Experience

1995 - 1999

Central China Normal University

BS in Biochemistry

2002 - 2006

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

School of Pharmacy

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

2007 - 2011

University of California, San Diego

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

School of Medicine

Postdoctoral fellow

2011 - 2014

University of California, San Diego

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

School of Medicine

Staff Scientist

2014 - 2024

University at Buffalo, SUNY

Department of Oral Biology

School of Dental Medicine

Assistant Professor (2014-2019)

Associate Professor (2020-2024)

2024 - present

Emory University

Department of Orthopaedics

School of Medicine

Associate Professor

Email: ding.xu@emory.edu

Tel: 

Huanmeng Hao

PhD student (2021)

Projects:

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Projects:

Role of HS in Cathepsin K biology

Role of HS in Osteoarthritis

HS-IFN-beta interaction in osteoclastogenesis

Education

2013 - 2018

Xi'an Jiao Tong University

School of Stomatology

BS in Stomatology

2018- 2021

Xi'an Jiao Tong University

School of Stomatology

MS in Stomatology

Ziling Chen

PhD student (2023)

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Projects:

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Role of HS in osteoblast differentiation

Targeting RAGE in rheumatoid arthritis

Education

2013 - 2018

Xi'an Medical University

BS in Stomatology

2019- 2022

Xi'an Jiao Tong University

School of Stomatology

MS in Stomatology

Lab alumni

Xiaoxiao Zhang

PhD student (2016-2021)

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Education

2006 - 2012

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

School of Medicine &Stomatology

BS in Stomatology

2012 - 2014

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

School of Medicine &Stomatology

MS in Oral and Maxillofacial Implantology

Current position: 

Research Scientist II

Charles River Laboratories

Education

Miaomiao Li, PhD

Postdoc and Research Scientist (2015-2024)

2005 - 2009

Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

BS in Pharmacy

2009 - 2015

Ocean University of China

School of Pharmacy

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Current position:

Assistant Professor 

College of Dentistry, Ohio State University

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Chih-Yean Ong

PhD student (2018-2024)

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Education

2009 - 2013

International Medical University, Malaysia

BS in Pharmaceutical Chemistry

2013 - 2018

Quality control management in various pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia and Singapore. 

Yin Luo

PhD student (2019-2024)

Education

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Current position: 

Postdoctoral scholar

Forsyth Institute, Boston MA

2011 - 2016

Central South University

Xiangya School of Stomatology

BS in Stomatology

2016 - 2019

Central South University

Xiangya School of Stomatology

MS in Endodontics

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