1975-1985           Lecturer, Shanghai Second Medical University , Dept of Anatomy, Shanghai , P.R. China

1985-1990       Teach. & Res. Assist. , Ohio State Univ., Dept. of Cell Biol., Neurobiol. & Anat., Columbus , OH

1990-1991       Post-doc. Res. Asso., Ohio State Univ., Dept of Cell Biol., Neurobiol. & Anat., Columbus , OH

1991-1994              Post-doc. Res. Asso., Univ. of Miami , The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miami , FL

1994-1999              Assistant Professor, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis , MO

1999-2001              Associate Professor, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis , MO

2001-2005       Asso. Prof. & James R. Petersdorf Endowed Chair, U. of Louisville Sch. of Med., Louisville , KY

2005-present Professor & James R. Petersdorf Endowed Chair, U. of Louisville Sch. of Med., Louisville , KY

Awards and Other Professional Activities:

1989-1990       Presidential Fellowship of The Ohio State University

1992-1994       The Daniel Heumann International Scholar

1993                Michael Goldberger Award of the Neurotrauma Society

1995                Research for Freedom Award, Gateway to a Cure for Spinal Cord Injury Research

Reviewer:        Experimental Neurology, Journal of Neurochemistry, Journal of Neurotrauma, Microscopy Research and Technique, Molecular Brain Research, Neuroscience

Reviewer:        Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Spinal Cord Research Foundation, American Heart Association, Department of Veterans Affairs, NIH Special Emphasis Panel, MDCN2-03, 2000; NIH ZRG1 CNNT(1) Study Section (Ad hoc member; 2003-present); NIH ZRG1 MDCN-G (02; 2005) 

B. Selected peer-reviewed publications (Selected from over 80 peer-reviewed research articles)

Xu XM, Martin GF. Developmental plasticity of the rubrospinal tract in the North American opossum. J Comp Neurol, 279:368-381, 1989.

Xu XM, Martin GF. The response of rubrospinal neurons to axotomy in the adult opossum, Didelphis virginiana. Exp Neurol, 108:46-54, 1990.

Xu XM, Martin GF. Evidence for new growth and regeneration of cut axons in developmental plasticy of the rubrospinal tract in the North American opossum. J Comp Neurol, 313:103-112, 1991.

Martin GF, Ghooray G, Ho R, Pindzola RR, Xu XM. The origin of serotoninergic projections to the lumbosacral spinal cord at different stages of development in the North American opossum. Develop Brain Res, 58:203-213, 1991.

Xu XM, Martin GF. Ipsilaterally projecting rubrospinal neurons in adult and developing opossum. Anat Rec, 231:538-547, 1991.

Xu XM, Martin GF. The response of rubrospinal neurons to axotomy at different stages of development in the North American opossum. J Neurotrauma, 9:93-195, 1992.

Martin GF, Pindzola RR, Xu XM. The origins of descending projections to the lumbar spinal cord at different stages of development in the North American opossum. Brain Res Bull, 30:303-317, 1993.

Xu XM, Guenard V, Kleitman N, Bunge MB . Axonal regeneration into Schwann cell-seeded guidance channels grafted into transected adult rat spinal cord. J Comp Neurol, 351:145-160, 1995.

Xu XM, Guenard V, Kleitman N, Bunge MB . A combination of BDNF and NT-3 promotes supraspinal axonal regeneration into Schwann cell grafts in adult rat thoracic spinal cord. Exp Neurol 134:261-272, 1995.

Martin GF, Ghooray GT, Wang XM, Xu XM. Plasticity of descending spinal pathways in developing mammals. Adv Neur Sci, 2:169-204, 1995.

Chen AQ, Xu XM, Kleitman N, Bunge MB . Methylprednisolone administration improves axonal regeneration into Schwann cell grafts in transected adult rat thoracic spinal cord. Exp Neurol, 138:261-276, 1996.

Oudega M, Xu XM, Guenard V, Kleitman N, Bunge MB. A combination of insulin-like growth factor-I and platelet-derived growth factor enhances myelination but diminishes axonal regeneration into Schwann cell grafts in the adult rat spinal cord. Glia, 19:247-258, 1997.

Liu XZ, Xu XM, Hu R, Cheng D, Zhang SX, McDonald JW, Dong HX, Wu YJ, Fan GS, Jacquin ME, Hsu CY, Choi DW. Neuronal and glial apoptosis after traumatic spinal cord injury. J Neurosci, 17:5395-5406, 1997.

Xu XM, Chen A, Guenard V, Kleitman N, Bunge MB . Bridging Schwann cell transplants promote axonal regeneration from both the rostral and caudal stumps of transected adult rat spinal cord. J Neurocytol, 16:1-16, 1997.

Xu J, Fan GS, Chen SW, Wu YJ, Liu XZ, Xu XM, Hsu CY. Methylprednisolone reduced TNF-a expression and NF- kb activation caused by spinal cord injury in rat. Molec Brain Res, 59:135-142, 1998.

Gianino S, Stein SA, Li H, Lu X, Biesiada E, Ulas J, Xu XM. Postnatal growth of corticospinal axons in the spinal cord of developing mice. Devel Brain Res, 112:189-204, 1999.

Xu XM, Zhang SX, Li H, Aebischer P, Bunge MB . Regrowth of axons into the distal spinal cord through a Schwann cell-seeded mini-channel implanted into hemisected adult rat spinal cord. Eur J Neurosci, 11:1723-1740, 1999.

Thomas CK, Esipenko V, Xu XM, Madsen PW, Gordon T. Innervation and properties of the rat FDSBQ muscle: an animal model to evaluate voluntary muscle strength after incomplete spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol, 158:279-289, 1999.

Yan P, Xu J, Li Q, Chen SW, Kim GM, Hsu CY, Xu XM. Glucocorticoid receptor expression in the spinal cord after traumatic injury in adult rats. J Neurosci 19:9355-9363, 1999.

Bamber NI, Li HY, Aebischer P, Xu XM. Fetal spinal cord tissue in guidance channels promotes longitudinal axonal growth in the partially lesioned adult rat spinal cord. Neur Plastic, 6:103-121, 1999.

Kanellopoulos GK, Xu XM, Hsu CY, Lu XB, Sundt TM, Kouchoukos NK. White matter injury in spinal cord ischemia: Protectection by AMPA/kainite glutamate receptor antagonism. Stroke, 31:1945-1952, 2000.

Kim ES, Li H, McCulloch PF, Morrison LA, Yoon KW, Xu XM. Spatial and temporal patterns of transneuronal labeling in CNS neurons after injection of pseudorabies virus into the sciatic nerve of adult rats. Brain Res, 857:41-55, 2000.

Ahmed SH, He YY, Nassief A, Xu J, Xu XM, Hsu CY. Effects of lipopolysaccharide priming on acute ischemic brain injury. Stroke, 31:193-199, 2000.

Iannotti C, Lu X, Lu P, Xu XM. Neural stem cell transplantation in the repair of spinal cord injury. Prog Natural Sci, 7:490-502, 2001.

Xu J, Kim G-M, Ahmed SH, Xu J, Yan P, Xu XM, Hsu CY. Glucocorticoid receptor-mediated suppression of AP-1 activation and matrix metalloproteinase expression after spinal cord injury. J Neurosci, 21:92-97, 2001.

Bamber NI, Li H, Lu X, Oudega M, Aebischer P, Xu XM. Neurotrophins BDNF and NT-3 promote axonal re-entry into the distal host spinal cord through Schwann cell-seeded mini-channels. Eur J Neurosci, 13:257-268, 2001.

Yan P, Li Q, Kim G-M, Xu J, Hsu CY, Xu XM. Cellular localization of tumor necrosis factor-a following acute spinal cord injury in adult rats. J Neurotrauma, 18:563-568, 2001.

Xu J, Kim G-M, Chen S, Yan P, Ahmed SH, Ku G, Beckman JS, Xu XM, Hsu CY. iNOS and nitrotyrosin expression after spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma, 18:523-532, 2001.

Warden P, Bamber NI, Li H, Esposito A, Ahmad KA, Hsu CY, Xu XM. Delayed glial cell death following Wallerian degeneration in white matter tracts after spinal cord dorsal column cordotomy in adult rats. Exp Neurol, 168:213-224, 2001.

Kim G-M, Xu J, Xu J, Song S-K, Yan P, Ku G, Xu XM, Hsu CY. Tumor necrosis factor receptor deletion reduces nuclear factor-kb activation, cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 2 expression, and functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury. J Neurosci, 21:6617-6625, 2001.

Kim E-S, Kim G-M, Lu X, Hsu CY, Xu XM. Neural connection in the adult rat CNS after spinal cord injury – A study using fast blue and the bartha strain of Pseudorabies virus. J Neurotrauma, 19:787-800, 2002.

Iannotti CI, Li H, Stemmler M, Perman WH, Xu X-M. Identification of regenerative tissue cables using in vivo MRI after spinal cord hemisection and Schwann cell bridging transplantation. J Neurotrauma, 19:1543-1554, 2002.

Yan P, Liu N, Kim G-M, Xu J, Xu J, Li Q, Hsu CY, Xu X-M. Expression of the type 1 and type 2 receptors for tumor necrosis factor after traumatic spinal cord injury in adult rats. Exp Neurol 183:286-297, 2003.

Iannotti C, Li H, Yan P, Lu X, Wirthlin L, Xu X-M. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-enriched bridging transplants promote propriospinal axonal regeneration and enhance myelination after spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol 183:379-393, 2003. 

Chau CH, Shum DKY, Li H, Lu X, Liu YY, Wirthlin L, Chan YS, Xu X-M (2004) Chondroitinase ABC enhances axonal regrowth through Schwann cell-seeded guidance channels after spinal cord injury. FASEB J. 18: 194-196.

Sivasankaran, R., Pei , J., Wang, K.C., Zhang, Y.P., Shields, C.B., Xu, X.-M.* and He, Z.* (2004) Protein kinase C mediates inhibitory effects of myelin and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans on axonal regeneration. Nat. Neurosci. 7:261-268. (* co-corresponding authors)

Liu NK, Han S, Lu P-H, Xu X-M (2004) Upregulation of annexins I, II and V following traumatic spinal cord injury in adult rats. J Neurosci Res, 77:391-401.

Zhang YP, Iannotti C, Han Y, Shields LBE, Burke DA, Xu X-M, Shields CB (2004) Dural closure, cord approximation, and clot removal enhancing tissue sparing in a novel laceration spinal cord injury model? J Neurosurg 100 (4):343-352.

Iannotti C, Zhang YP, Shields CB, Han Y, Burke DA, Xu X-M (2004) A neuroprotective role of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor following moderate spinal cord contusion injury. Exp Neurol, 189:317-332.

Zhang KH, Xiao H-S, Lu P-H, Shi J, Li G-D, Wang Y-T, Zhang X, Xu X-M (2004) Differential gene expression after complete spinal cord transection in adult rats: An analysis focused on a sub-chronic post-injury stage. Neuroscience, 128:375-388.

Chau CH, Shum DKY, Xu X-M (2004) Combinatorial strategies towards spinal cord repair: enhancement of the Schwann cell bridge and modification of the graft-host interface. Preclinica, 2:409-415.

Hu J-G, Fu S-L, Zhang K-H, Li Y, Ying L, Lu P-H, Xu X-M (2004) Differential gene expression in neural stem cells and oligodendrocyte precursor cells: A cDNA microarray analysis.  J Neurosci Res, 78:637-646.

Cao Q, Zhang YP, Iannotti C, DeVries WH, Xu X-M, Shields CB, Whittemore SR (2005) Functional and electrophysiological changes after graded traumatic spinal cord injury in adult rat.  Exp Neurol, 191:S3-16.

Hsu J-Y, Stein SA, and Xu X-M (2005) Temporal and spatial distributions of growth-associated molecules and astroglial cells in the rat corticospinal tract during development J Neurosci Res 80:330-340.

Fu S, Ma Z, Yin L, Iannotti C, Lu P, and Xu X-M (2005) Region-specific growth properties and trophic requirements of brain- and spinal cord-derived embryonic neural precursor cells. Neurosci 135:851-862.

Cao Q, Xu X-M, DeVries WH, Enzmann GU, Ping PP, Tsoulfas P, Wood PM, Bunge MB, and Whittemore SR (2005) Functional recovery in traumatic spinal cord injury after transplantation of multineurotrophin-expressing glial-restricted precursor cells. J Neurosci 25:6947-6957.

Hsu J-YC and Xu X-M (2005) Early axonal growth and astroglial response after spinal cord hemisection and Schwann cell-seeded guidance channel implantation in adult rats. J Neurosci Res 82:472-483.

Iannotti C, Zhang YP, Han Y, Burke DA, Shields BE, Xu X-M and Shields CB (2006) Dural repair reduces connective tissue scar invasion and cystic cavity formation following acute spinal cord laceration injury in the rat. J. Neurotrauma (Accepted).

Oudega M, Xu X-M (2006) Schwann cell transplantation for repair of the adult spinal cord. J Neurotrauma (Invited review, accepted).

Wang X-F, Huang L-D, Yu P-P, Hu J-G, Yin L, Wang L, Xu X-M*, Lu P-H* (2006) Upregulation of type I interleuke-1 receptor after traumatic spinal cord injury in adult rats. Acta Neuropathol (Accepted) (* co-corresponding authors)

Liu NK, Zhang YP, Titsworth WL, Jiang X, Han S, Lu PH, Shields CB and Xu X-M (2006) A Novel Role of Phospholipase A₂ in Mediating Spinal Cord Secondary Injury. Annal Neurol (Accepted)

Ongoing Research Support

1R01 NS52290 (Xu)                                                                           7/1/05-6/30/10                               NIH/NINDS                                       

PKC inhibition-mediated spinal cord regeneration

The major goal of this project is to investigate protein kinase C (PKC) inhibition-mediated axonal regeneration and recovery of functions of long sensory and motor pathways following spinal cord injury.

R01 NS36350 (Xu)                                                                                          07/15/03-04/30/07                                        

NIH/NINDS                                       

Schwann cells, neurotrophins and spinal cord regrowth

The major goal of this project is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of GDNF on axonal regeneration and recovery of function in a model of spinal cord hemisection and Schwann cell-seeded guidance channel transplantation.

Role:  PI

#04-16 (Xu)                                                                                                      1/15/05-1/14/08         

Kentucky Spinal Cord & Head Injury Research Trust 

A novel role of PLA₂ in mediating spinal cord secondary injury

The major goal of this project is to investigate the pathological role and underlying mechanism of phospholipase A₂ in mediating spinal cord secondary injury.

Role:  PI 

Not numbered (Xu)                                                                                          10/01/03-09/30/05            

Daniel Heumann Fund for Spinal Cord Research      

Combination of glycosaminoglycan-modulation and neurotrophin infusion strategies in SC regeneration

The major goal of this project is to examine the attractiveness of soluble forms of heparin sulfates (HS) to growing axons in a model of spinal cord hemisection and Schwann cell bridge transplantation.

Role:  PI