# BLR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application for Xiao-Ming Xu, PhD

> **NIH VA IK6** · RLR VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · —

## Abstract

My VA-related research focuses on studying traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), which is among the most disabling
conditions affecting wounded members of the U.S. military. Although survival rates for SCI remain high, the
devastating nature of the injury results in substantial disability, which must be borne by the injured veterans, their
families, and the VA health-care system. Unfortunately, there has been no effective treatment available for
patients with acute and chronic SCIs. Therefore, developing novel treatment strategies is imperative to mitigate
the devastating nature and improve quality of life for our veterans with SCI. The goal of my research is to study
molecular mechanisms underlying traumatic SCI and develop novel repair strategies to promote regeneration of
the injured spinal cord and enhance functional recovery in experimental models of SCI. My long-term goal is to
translate effective treatment strategies from animal models to humans, including our veterans. To reach these
goals, I conduct VA-related research in 3 major areas. In the first research area (supported by VA I01
BX002356-01 and I01 BX002356-04), my lab is testing an innovative hypothesis that a growth-promoting
pathway, composed of grafted Schwann cells (SCs, a type of peripheral supporting cells) overexpressing a
trophic factor called glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), will promote the growth of descending
spinal nerve fibers across an injury gap to project to the distal host spinal cord. These regenerated nerve fibers
will form target-specific connections with lumbar motoneurons (MNs) overexpressing another neurotrophic factor
called neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). We also hypothesize that such a combinatorial approach will lead to greater
functional recovery than any single treatment alone. Completion of this proposal will allow us to reveal
mechanisms fundamental to rebuilding neural circuitry of the descending spinal cord pathways and to identify
new therapeutic strategies for functional recovery after SCI. In the second research area (supported by VA I01
BX003705-01A1), we propose to investigate whether a novel lipid signaling pathway, namely the cardiolipin (CL)-
cytochrome c pathway, plays a role in mediating cell death, tissue damage, and functional loss after SCI.
Specifically, we will determine the treatment effect of a new mitochondrial targeted antioxidant compound XJB
and its molecular mechanism underlying functional recovery after a clinically-relevant contusive SCI in adult rats.
In the third research area (supported by VA ShEEP 1IS1 BX004405-01), I have secured funding to purchase
an UltraMicroscope II Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscope (LSFM) for use by 9 VA-funded investigators with
different research disciplines including neural, muscle, and bone biology within the NeuroMusculoSkeletal (NMS)
Research Program at the Roudebush VAMC in Indianapolis. The LSFM is an innovative device that overcomes
many limitations of currently used conventiona...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9911971
- **Project number:** 5IK6BX004597-02
- **Recipient organization:** RLR VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** XIAO-MING XU
- **Activity code:** IK6 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9911971

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9911971, BLR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application for Xiao-Ming Xu, PhD (5IK6BX004597-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9911971. Licensed CC0.

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