Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Phone: 903.877.8357
Email: xia.guo@uttyler.edu
Department: Cellular and Molecular Biology
Xia Guo
Dr. Xia Guo has conducted biomedical research for more than 15 years, with excellent research experience in cell phenotypic regulation, gene transcriptional regulation, screening of signaling pathways/factors that mediate gene function, and generation of conditional knockout mice to examine the biological function of genes in specific tissues using animal models. She currently serves as an Associate Professor of Cell & Molecular Biology. Dr. Guo received her PhD in Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Georgia in 2014. After graduation, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow and scientist in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Georgia.
In 2019, Dr. Guo joined the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers in journals such as Circulation Research and Journal of Hepatology as the first author. Dr. Guo is also an active member of American Heart Association (AHA) since 2012. Dr. Guo’s research program has been continuously funded by the American Heart Association (AHA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2012.
Education and Training
• Assistant Research Scientist, The University of Georgia, 2019
• Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Georgia, 2018
• PhD, The University of Georgia, Physiology and Pharmacology, 2014
Research Focus
Dr. Guo’s research broadly focuses on understanding the novel molecules and mechanisms
important for cardiovascular disease and/or metabolic disease development. These molecules
may contribute to the prevention and/or generation of therapeutics of these human
diseases. Specifically, we study 1) the vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC), endothelial
cell (EC), and immune cell phenotypic change during the cardiovascular disease development
including atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), hypertension, restenosis
and so on; 2) the adipocyte, liver cell, and immune cell phenotypic change during
the metabolic disease development including obesity, diabetes, hepatic steatosis and
the related complications. Our laboratory uses multiple, cutting-edge approaches to identify novel targets and develop gene/cell-based therapeutics to treat these human problems.
• Vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation
• Vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation in vascular remodeling
• Endothelial cell inflammation and macrophage activation in atherosclerosis
• Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in disease development
• Metabolic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and hepatic steatosis
Publications Highlights