research overview
- Dr. Xue's research interests lie in studying the mechanisms of programmed cell death (or apoptosis), phospholipid asymmetry in biological membranes, mitochondrial inheritance, radiation-and stress-induced bystander effects, and exercise-mediated improvement of neuronal health, as well as various human diseases associated with abnormalities in these fundamental biological processes. His laboratory has been using molecular genetic, biochemical, cell biological, pharmacological, and structural biological approaches to study the mechanisms that regulate and execute these important cellular and developmental processes in the nematode C. elegans and in mammals. Dr. Xue’s group also uses C. elegans as an animal model to conduct drug discovery to treat human diseases, including cancer, hepatitis B virus, mitochondrial disease, and neurodegenerative disease.
