Xiaoming Hu, MD

Associate Professor of Neurology

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Xiaoming Hu's main research interest is to investigate the mechanism of post-stroke immune regulation and explore immunotherapeutic strategy to improve stroke outcomes. One of her research directions is to uncover the mechanisms of microglia/macrophage responses after stroke and to explore how different microglia/macrophage phenotypes influence the outcomes after brain injuries. Her other areas of interest are to explore the protective role of regulatory T cells in ischemic stroke and to develop immunotherapy to promote brain protection including white matter protection after stroke. 

Education & Training 

  • PhD, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas, Neuroscience
  • MS, China-Japan Friendship Institute of Medical Science, Beijing, China, Immunology
  • MD, Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China, Maternal and Child Health

Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Educational Interests 

  • Research: Neuroscience, stroke, neuroinflammation, microglia, immunotherapy 

Professional Organization Membership

  • Society for Neuroscience
  • American Heart Association
  • International Society for Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism

Honors & Awards

  • Young Investigator Educational Enhancement Award, 2004, American Society for Neurochemistry
  • IRTA Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2006-2008 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
  • NIH Fellows Award of Research Excellence (FARE), 2008
  • 2nd prize winner of the 2016 Stroke Progress and Innovation Award, 2017, International Stroke Conference (ISC)
  • Stroke rehabilitation award, 2019, International Stroke Conference (ISC)

Selected Publications

Cai W, Dai X, Chen J, Zhao J, Xu M, Zhang L, Yang B, Zhang W, Rocha M, Nakao T, Kofler J, Shi Y, Stetler RA, Hu X, Chen J. STAT6/Arg1 promotes microglia/macrophage efferocytosis and inflammation resolution in stroke mice. JCI Insight. 2019 Oct 17;4(20):e131355. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.131355. PMID: 31619589; PMCID: PMC6824303.

Zhang Q, Zhu W, Xu F, Dai X, Shi L, Cai W, Mu H, Hitchens TK, Foley LM, Liu X, Yu F, Chen J, Shi Y, Leak RK, Gao Y, Chen J, Hu X. The interleukin-4/PPARγ signaling axis promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination after brain injury. PLoS Biol. 2019 Jun 21;17(6):e3000330. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000330. PMID: 31226122; PMCID: PMC6608986.

Zhang H, Xia Y, Ye Q, Yu F, Zhu W, Li P, Wei Z, Yang Y, Shi Y, Thomson AW, Chen J, Hu XIn Vivo Expansion of Regulatory T Cells with IL-2/IL-2 Antibody Complex Protects against Transient Ischemic Stroke. J Neurosci. 2018 Nov 21;38(47):10168-10179. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3411-17.2018. Epub 2018 Oct 5. PMID: 30291203; PMCID: PMC6246882.

Mao L, Li P, Zhu W, Cai W, Liu Z, Wang Y, Luo W, Stetler RA, Leak RK, Yu W, Gao Y, Chen J, Chen G, Hu X. Regulatory T cells ameliorate tissue plasminogen activator-induced brain haemorrhage after stroke. Brain. 2017 Jul 1;140(7):1914-1931. doi: 10.1093/brain/awx111. PMID: 28535201; PMCID: PMC6059175.

Yang Y, Liu H, Zhang H, Ye Q, Wang J, Yang B, Mao L, Zhu W, Leak RK, Xiao B, Lu B, Chen J, Hu X. ST2/IL-33-Dependent Microglial Response Limits Acute Ischemic Brain Injury. J Neurosci. 2017 May 3;37(18):4692-4704. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3233-16.2017. Epub 2017 Apr 7. PMID: 28389473; PMCID: PMC5426564.