Graduated from the School of Life Sciences, Peking University in 2001 with a Bachelor's Degree in Science.
Graduated from the School of Life Sciences, Peking University in 2006 with a Doctorate in Science.
From 2006 to 2013, conducted postdoctoral research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States.
Joined the School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in March 2013. Currently serving as the Executive Dean of the School of Life Sciences. Recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, leading talent in scientific and technological innovation under the National Special Support Plan for High-level Talents, leading talent in scientific and technological innovation among young and middle-aged people of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and recipient of the Youth Program of the National Plan for Overseas High-level Talents. Winner of the USTC Outstanding Research President Award, an excellent mentor of CAS, and recipient of the Tang Lixin Outstanding Scholar Award. Engaged in scientific research related to neurobiology, with research directions including neurometabolism and circuit regulation of brain function, aging and neurodegenerative diseases, development of new metabolomics technologies, and ion channel regulation. Published numerous corresponding author papers in prestigious international journals such as Cell, Cell Metabolism, Nature Methods, Nature Metabolism, Nature Machine Intelligence, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Communications, Science Advances, PNAS, Molecular Psychiatry, and Science Bulletin. Selected as one of the Top Ten Advances in Life Sciences in China in 2018. Led multiple national-level scientific research projects, including the 13th Five-Year Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology (as the chief scientist), key projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (as the principal investigator), Class B pilot science and technology special projects of CAS (as the project leader), CAS From 0 to 1 original innovation projects (as the principal investigator), and the 863 Young Scientist Program.
Research Interests and Directions
1. To explore the neural circuit mechanisms underlying sensory and perceptual processes and related diseases, such as epilepsy, chronic pain, depression, addiction, and tolerance, and to develop corresponding novel therapeutic drugs and treatments.
2. To develop novel neurometabolic techniques, such as single-cell mass spectrometry, single-organelle mass spectrometry, and brain mass spectrometry imaging.
3. Utilizing single-cell mass spectrometry and brain mass spectrometry imaging techniques, to investigate changes in metabolomes and their molecular mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and to search for relevant early diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic methods.
4. To explore the regulatory mechanisms of ligand-gated ion channels, such as glycine receptors and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors.
Representative Papers
1. Jieping Lu#, Xin Zuo#*, Aoling Cai#, Fang Xiao, Zhenyu Xu, Rui Wang, Chenjian Miao, Chen Yang, Xingxing Zheng, Jie Wang, Xiaoling Ding*, Wei Xiong*. ACE2-expressing cerebral vascular endothelial cells and post COVID-19 patients. Alzheimer's & Dementia, https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14279. (2024)
2. Xiaolin Lian#, Meng Gong#, Zhikai Wang#, Jie Wang#, Weiwei Guo#, Aoling Cai, Zhenye Yang, Xing Liu, Fuqiang Xu, Wei Xiong*, Chuanhai Fu*, Xiangting Wang*. LncRNA TubAR complexes with TUBB4A and TUBA1A to promote microtubule assembly and maintain myelination. Cell Discovery, 10(1):54. doi: 10.1038/s41421-024-00667-y. (2024)
3. Weiwei Guo, Wei Xiong*. From gut microbiota to brain: implications on binge eating disorders. Gut Microbes, 16(1):2357177, https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2024.2357177 (2024).
4. Qianping Zhang, Tiantian Sun, Fan Yu, Wei Liu, Jin Gao, Jinyu Chen, Hao Zheng, Jinming Liu, Chenjian Miao, Huanyi Guo, Wu Tian, Meihui Su, Yingjie Guo, Xi Liu, Yandong Pei, Zhuofei Wang, Shang Chen, Chenglong Mu, Sin Man Lam, Guanghou Shui, Zongjin Li, Zhongbo Yu, Yan Zhang, Guo Chen, Congcong Lu, Adam C. Midgley, Changhua Li, Xin Bian, Xudong Liao, Yong Wang*, Wei Xiong*, Hongying Zhu*, Yanjun Li* & Quan Chen*. PAFAH2 suppresses synchronized ferroptosis to ameliorate acute kidney injury. Nature Chemical Biology, 20(7): 835-846. (2024)
5. Sijia Fan, Weiwei Guo, Dan Xiao, Mengyuan Guan, Tiepeng Liao, Sufang Peng, Airong Feng, Ziyi Wang, Hao Yin, Min Li*, Jue Chen*, Wei Xiong*. Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis Drives Overeating Disorders. Cell Metabolism, 35(11):2011-2027.e7. (2023)
6. Ziyi Wang, Hongying Zhu*, Wei Xiong*. Advances in mass spectrometry-based multi-scale metabolomic methodologies and their applications in biological and clinical investigations. Science Bulletin, 68: 2268-2284 (2023)
7. Jing Xia, Dan Xiao, Heyi Luo, Jin Jin, Siyuan Ge, Xianglian Wang, Guichang Zou*, Wei Xiong*. The cannabinoid dehydroxylcannabidiol suppresses neuropathic pain by upregulating a spinal glycine receptor-mediated compensation mechanism. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 299(6): 104769 (2023)
8. Tiepeng Liao, Zihao Ren, Zhaoliang Chai, Man Yuan, Chenjian Miao, Junjie Li, Qi Chen, Zhilin Li, Ziyi Wang, Lin Yi, Siyuan Ge, Wenwei Qian, Zilei Wang, Wei Xiong*, Hongying Zhu*. A super-resolution strategy for mass spectrometry imaging via transfer learning. Nature Machine Intelligence, 5: 656–668 (2023)
9. Yiwen Hou#, Guichang Zou#, Xianglian Wang, Hui Guo, Xiao Ma, Xingyu Cheng, Zhiyong Xie, Xin Zuo, Jing Xia, Huanhuan Mao, Man Yuan, Qi Chen, Peng Cao, Yupeng Yang, Li Zhang, Wei Xiong*. Coordinated activity of a central pathway drives associative opioid analgesic tolerance. Science Advances, 9(6):eabo5627 (2023).
10. Ziyi Wang, Fei Sun, Wei Xiong*. Fat shapes fate: unlock the destiny of a cell with single-cell metabolomics. Life Medicine, 1(3):261-263 (2022).
11. Weiwei Guo#, Sijia Fan#, Dan Xiao, Chen He, Mengyuan Guan, Wei Xiong*. A midbrain-reticulotegmental circuit underlies exaggerated startle under fear emotions. Molecular Psychiatry, 27(12): 4881-4892 (2022)
12. Guichang Zou#, Jing Xia#, Heyi Luo, Dan Xiao, Jin Jin, Chenjian Miao, Xin Zuo, Qianqian Gao, Zhi Zhang, Tian Xue, Yezi You, Ye Zhang, Li Zhang, Wei Xiong*.Combined alcohol and cannabinoid exposure leads to synergistic toxicity by affecting cerebellar Purkinje cells. Nature Metabolism, 4(9):1138–1149 (2022)
13. Weiwei Guo#, Sijia Fan#, Dan Xiao, Hui Dong, Guangwei Xu, Zhikun Wan, Yuqian Ma, Zhen Wang, Tian Xue, Yifeng Zhou, Yulong Li, Wei Xiong*. A Brainstem reticulotegmental neural ensemble drives acoustic startle reflexes. Nature Communications, 12(1), 6403, doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26723-9 (2021)
14. Hongying Zhu#, Qianqian Li#, Tiepeng Liao#, Xiang Yin, Qi Chen, Ziyi Wang, Meifang Dai, Lin Yi, Siyuan Ge, Chenjian Miao, Wenping Zeng, Lili Qu, Zhenyu Ju, Guangming Huang, Chunlei Cang*, Wei Xiong*. Metabolomic profiling of single enlarged lysosomes. Nature Methods, 18(7):788-798 (2021).
15. Yujun Guo#, Guichang Zou#, Keke Qi, Jin Jin, Lei Yao, Yang Pan, Wei Xiong*. Simvastatin impairs hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive function in mice. Molecular Brain, 14(1): 41 doi: 10.1186/s13041-021-00758-x. (2021)
16. Jin Ye#, Guichang Zou#, Ruichi Zhu, Chao Kong, Chenjian Miao, Mingjie Zhang, Jianchao Li*, Wei Xiong*, Chao Wang*. Structural basis of GABARAP-mediated GABAA receptor trafficking and functions on GABAergic synaptic transmission. Nature Communications, 12(1):297, doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20624-z. (2021)
17. Lei Yao , Chengyuan Liu, Ning Wang, Feng Du, Sijia Fan, Yujun Guo, Li Zhang, Yang Pan, Wei Xiong*. Cholesterol regulates cannabinoid analgesia through glycine receptors. Neuropharmacology, 177: 108242. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108242. (2020)
18. Lei Yao, Marta Wells, Xiongwu Wu, Yan Xu, Li Zhang*, Wei Xiong*. Membrane cholesterol dependence of cannabinoid modulation of glycine receptor. FASEB J, 34(8): 10920-10930 (2020)
19. Guichang Zou#, Xin Zuo#, Kai Chen, Yushu Ge, Xiaoqun Wang, Guangwei Xu, Huan Wang, Chenjian Miao, Zhenyu Xu, Shuangshuang Tian, Zhen Wang, Yifeng Zhou, Wei Wei, Guangming Huang, Dan Liu, Wei Xiong*. Cannabinoids Rescue Cocaine-Induced Seizures by Restoring Brain Glycine Receptor Dysfunction. Cell Reports, 30(12): 4209-4219 (2020)
20. Guichang Zou, Jing Xia, Qianqian Han, Dan Liu, WeiXiong*. The synthetic cannabinoid dehydroxylcannabidiol restores the function of a major GABAA receptor isoform in a cell model of hyperekplexia. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 295: 138-145 (2020)
21. Xiaoqun Wang#, Yiwen Hou#, Zhuanghao Hou, Wei Xiong*, Guangming Huang*. Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Brain Cholesterol and Metabolites with Trifluoroacetic Acid-Enhanced Desorption Electrospray Ionization, Analytical Chemistry, 91(4): 2719-2726 (2019)
22. Chengyuan Liu, Keke Qi, Lei Yao, Ying Xiong, Xuan Zhang , Jianye Zang, Changlin Tian, Minggao Xu, Jiuzhong Yang , Zhenkun Lin , Yongmei Lv, Wei Xiong*, Yang Pan*. Imaging of Polar and Nonpolar Species Using Compact Desorption Electrospray Ionization/Postphotoionization Mass Spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry, 91(10): 6616-6623 (2019)
23. Guichang Zou, Qi Chen, Kai Chen, Xin Zuo, Yushu Ge, Yiwen Hou, Tao Pan, Huilin Pan, Dan Liu, Li Zhang, Wei Xiong*. Human Hyperekplexic Mutations in Glycine Receptors Disinhibit the Brainstem by Hijacking GABAA Receptors. iScience, 19: 634-646 (2019)
24. Hongying Zhu#, Ning Wang#, Lei Yao, Qi Chen, Ran Zhang, Junchao Qian, Yiwen Hou, Weiwei Guo, Sijia Fan, Siling Liu, Qiaoyun Zhao, Feng Du, Xin Zuo, Yujun Guo, Yan Xu, Jiali Li, Tian Xue, Kai Zhong, Xiaoyuan Song, Guangming Huang*, Wei Xiong*. Moderate UV exposure enhances learning and memory by promoting a novel glutamate biosynthetic pathway in the brain. Cell, 173(7): 1716-1727 (2018)
25. Jieping Lu#*, Sijia Fan#, Guichang Zou, Yiwen Hou, Tao Pan, Weiwei Guo, Lei Yao, Feng Du, GE Homanics, Dan Liu, Li Zhang, Wei Xiong*. Involvement of glycine receptor α1 subunits in cannabinoid-induced analgesia. Neuropharmacology, 133: 224-232 (2018)
26. Hongying Zhu#, Guichang Zou#, Ning Wang#, Meihui Zhuang, Wei Xiong*, Guangming Huang*. Single-neuron identification of chemical constituents, physiological changes, and metabolism using mass spectrometry. PNAS, 114(10): 2586-2591 (2017)
27. Wei Xiong, Shao-Rui Chen, Liming He, Kejun Cheng, Yi-Lin Zhao, Hong Chen, De-Pei Li, Gregg E. Homanics, John Peever, Kenner C. Rice, Ling-gang Wu, Hui-Lin Pan & Li Zhang. Presynaptic glycine receptors as a potential therapeutic target for hyperekplexia disease. Nature Neuroscience, 17: 232-239 (2014)
28. Wei Xiong, Tanxing Cui, Kejun Cheng, Fei Yang, Shao-Rui Chen, Dan Willenbring, Yun Guan, Hui-Lin Pan, Ke Ren, Yan Xu and Li Zhang. Cannabinoids suppress inflammatory and neuropathic pain by targeting α3 glycine receptors. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 209 (6): 1121-1134 (2012)
29. Wei Xiong, Xiongwu Wu, David M. Lovinger and Li Zhang. A Common Molecular Basis for Exogenous and Endogenous Cannabinoid Potentiation of Glycine Receptors. Journal of Neuroscience, 32 (15): 5200-5208 (2012)
30. Wei Xiong, KeJun Chen, Tanxing Cui, Grzegorz Godlewski, Kenner Rice, Yan Xu and Li Zhang. Cannabinoid potentiation of glycine receptors contributes to cannabis-induced analgesia. Nature Chemical Biology,7: 296-303(2011)
Recruitment
The laboratory is recruiting co-Principal Investigators (co-PIs), postdoctoral researchers, and laboratory technicians with relevant backgrounds in neurobiology, analytical chemistry, or molecular biology, offering competitive benefits. Undergraduate interns and graduate school applicants are also welcome.
Contact Information
Phone: 0551-63601736
Email: wxiong@ustc.edu.cn
Address: Room 917, Science Building, West Campus, University of Science and Technology of China, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui Province
Lab Website: [http://x-lab.ustc.edu.cn/](http://x-lab.ustc.edu.cn/)