Xiao-Jing Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Robert E. Stowell Endowed Chair in Experimental Pathology, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Chief Science Officer, Associate Director for Basic Science
Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Locations and Contact
UC Davis Medical Center
UC Davis Medical Center
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284)
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Xiao-Jing Wang, M.D., Ph.D., was recruited to UCDavis in May 2022 as Robert E. Stowell Endowed Chair in Experimental Pathology. She also serves as Chief Science Officer and Associate Director for Basic Science of UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prior to taking this position, she was a John S. Gates Endowed Chair of Cancer Stem Cell Biology and the founding Director of head & neck cancer research program at UC Denver, Professor in Department of Pathology, and has joint appointments in the departments of Dermatology, Otolaryngology, and Craniofacial Biology from 2008-2022.
Dr. Wang’s laboratory has developed many genetically engineered mouse models of skin and head&neck cancers. These models are unique resources for evaluating mechanisms and efficacy of clinical trials for cancer prevention and treatments, and develop interventions for biomarker discoveries and novel therapies.
Research activities in the XJ Wang Lab include the following:
1.Molecular mechanism of cancer: a) Role of tumor microenvironment in cancer progression and metastasis; b) Mechanisms of immune evasion of cancer and cancer immunotherapy; c) the properties of cancer stem cells; d) Experimental therapeutics and therapeutic interventions in cancer, including radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and in combination; e) How radiation therapy affects DNA damage-induced neoantigen production in tumor cells, microenvironment, and systemic effects
2.Skin biology: a) epidermal stem cell biology and differentiation; 2) mechanisms of inflammatory skin diseases; 3) wound healing and tissue remodeling
3.Therapeutic interventions in chronic wounds, radiation toxicities, inflammatory disease and fibrosis in oral cavity and skin.
Division
Pathology
Center/Program Affiliation
Undergraduate School
B.A., Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China 1984
Medical School
M.D., Ph.D., Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China 1989
Fellowship
M.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Anderson Cancer Center, TX 1991
VA Research Career Scientist Award, 2022-2027,
Advisory Council Member, NIH, NIAMS, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
William Montagna Award, Society of Investigative Dermatology, (one awardee worldwide each year to give a scientist who has made a significant contribution to skin biology research), 2014
State-of-the-Art lecture, Society of Investigative Dermatology, 2006
“Career Development Award” from the Dermatology Foundation, 1997, 1998
For a complete list of Dr. Wang's publications, please click here.
Chen SMY, Popolizio V, Woolaver RA, Ge H, Krinsky AL, John J, Danis E, Ke Y, Kramer Y, Bian L, Nicklawsky AG, Gao D, Liu S, Chen Z, Wang XJ, Wang JH. Differential responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor dictated by pre-existing differential immune profiles in squamous cell carcinomas caused by same initial oncogenic drivers. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2022 Apr 2;41(1):123. doi:10.1186/s13046-022-02337-x. PMID:35366939.
Boss MK, Ke Y, Bian L, Harrison LG, Lee BI, Prebble A, Martin T, Trageser E, Hall S, Wang DD, Wang S, Chow L, Holwerda B, Raben D, Regan D, Karam SD, Dow S, Young CD, Wang XJ. Therapeutic Intervention Using a Smad7-Based Tat Protein to Treat Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2022 Mar 1;112(3):759-770. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.09.039. Epub 2021 Oct 3. PMID:34610386.
Strait AA, Woolaver RA, Hall S, Young CD, Karam SD, Jimeno A, Lan Y, Raben D, Wang JH, Wang XJ (2021). Distinct immune microenvironment profiles of therapeutic responders emerge in combined TGFβ/PD-L1 blockade-treated squamous cell carcinoma. Commun Biol. 2021 Aug 25;4:1005. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02522-2.
Shi X, Luo J, Weigel KJ, Hall SC, Du D, Wu F, Rudolph MC, Zhou H, Young CD, Wang XJ. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Facilitate Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Metastasis in Mice by Providing TGFβ-Mediated Cancer Stem Cell Niche. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Aug 30;9:668164. doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.668164. PMID:34527666
Woolaver RA, Wang X, Krinsky AL, Waschke BC, Chen SMY, Popolizio V, Nicklawsky AG, Gao D, Chen Z, Jimeno A, Wang XJ, Wang JH. Differences in TCR repertoire and T cell activation underlie the divergent outcomes of antitumor immune responses in tumor-eradicating versus tumor-progressing hosts. J Immunother Cancer. 2021 Jan;9(1):e001615. doi:10.1136/jitc-2020-001615. PMID:33414263.
Hernandez AL, Young CD, Bian L, Weigel K, Nolan K, Frederick B, Han G, He G, Devon Trahan G, Rudolph MC, Jones KL, Oweida AJ, Karam SD, Raben D, Wang XJ. PARP Inhibition Enhances Radiotherapy of SMAD4-Deficient Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas in Experimental Models. Clin Cancer Res. 2020 Jun 15;26(12):3058-3070. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-0514. Epub 2020 Mar 5. PMID:32139402.
Luo J, Bian L, Blevins MA, Wang D, Liang C, Du D, Wu F, Holwerda B, Zhao R, Raben D, Zhou H, Young CD, Wang XJ. Smad7 Promotes Healing of Radiotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis without Compromising Oral Cancer Therapy in a Xenograft Mouse Model. Clin Cancer Res. 2019 Jan 15;25(2):808-818. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-1081. Epub 2018 Sep 5. PMID:30185419.
Li F, Bian L, Iriyama S, Jian Z, Fan B, Luo J, Wang DD, Young CD, Han G, Wang XJ. Smad7 Ameliorates TGF-β-Mediated Skin Inflammation and Associated Wound Healing Defects but Not Susceptibility to Experimental Skin Carcinogenesis. J Invest Dermatol. 2019 Apr;139(4):940-950. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2018.10.031. Epub 2018 Nov 10. PMID:30423327.
Han G, Bian L, Li F, Cotrim A, Wang D, Lu J, Deng Y, Bird G, Sowers A, Mitchell JB, Gutkind JS, Zhao R, Raben D, ten Dijke P, Refaeli Y, Zhang Q, Wang XJ. Preventive and therapeutic effects of Smad7 on radiation-induced oral mucositis. Nat Med. 2013 Apr;19(4):421-8. doi:10.1038/nm.3118. Epub 2013 Mar 10. PMID:23475202.
White RA, Neiman JM, Reddi A, Han G, Birlea S, Mitra D, Dionne L, Fernandez P, Murao K, Bian L, Keysar SB, Goldstein NB, Song N, Bornstein S, Han Z, Lu X, Wisell J, Li F, Song J, Lu SL, Jimeno A, Roop DR, Wang XJ. Epithelial stem cell mutations that promote squamous cell carcinoma metastasis. J Clin Invest. 2013 Oct;123(10):4390-404. doi:10.1172/JCI65856. Epub 2013 Sep 3. PMID:23999427.