Xingjian Wang

Project Title: Proteomic signatures of synaptic vulnerability and resilience in Alzheimer’s Disease
Supervisor: Dr Samuel Barnes
Location: Level 5, Burlington Danes Building, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, W12 0NN

About Me

I am a PhD student in Dr. Samuel Barnes’ group with a research focus on the synaptic changes related to Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

I graduated from China Medical University with a master’s degree in clinical medicine. In my previous study I have developed a strong interest on neuroscientific research, especially on AD, and therefore I am eagerly to pursue a PhD on this field. Here at Imperial College London, my project aims to find out the proteomic signatures relevant to the vulnerability and resilience of synapses in AD pathogenesis by utilizing both super-resolution and multiplexing strategies.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Medicine in Clinical Medicine, China Medical University
Master of Medicine in Clinical Medicine (Internal Medicine), China Medical University

Research Interests

Synaptic alterations play a critical role in the development of AD. However, the limited size and the complex protein composition of synaptic puncta make them challengeable to be investigated, and the molecular identities for synaptic vulnerability or resilience in AD pathogenesis remains unclear.

To address this issue, super-resolution strategies such as expansion microscopy as well as multiplexing techniques such as Imaging Mass Cytometry (IMC) and cycle immunofluorescence (cycle-IF) are utilized in my project to explore the proteomic changes of synapses in AD. Specifically, expansion microscopy enables the uniform enlargement of tissue specimen in each dimension for about 4 folds to overcome the resolution limit of conventional optical microscopes; IMC screens up to 35 protein markers in one scan by utilizing metal-tagged antibodies; cycle-IF shows the expression of interested proteins with better Z-resolution. These techniques, together with in vivo studies such as 2-photon calcium imaging on mouse models, will shed light on understanding the mechanisms underlying synaptic alterations in AD and subsequently identify potential therapeutic targets for dementia.

Selected publications

Wang X, Zheng W. Ca2+ homeostasis dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease: a focus on plasma membrane and cell organelles. FASEB J. 2019 Jun;33(6):6697-6712. doi: 10.1096/fj.201801751R

Wang X, Li W, Zhou J, et al. Smoking and sleep apnea duration mediated the sex difference in daytime sleepiness in OSA patients. Sleep Breath. 2021 Mar;25(1):289-297. doi: 10.1007/s11325-020-02109-x

Contact Details

Email: x.wang21@imperial.ac.uk

How temperature and circadian rhythms intersect to regulate a protein shown to protect against neurodegeneration

A new study led by Dr Marco Brancaccio (UK DRI at Imperial) and Dr Marieke Hoekstra (former UK DRI at Imperial, now VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research) offers a deeper insight into how a neuroprotective pathway is regulated both by temperature and the body clock. This research, published in the journal PNAS, could open up new therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative disease. Read more on the UK DRI website

Introducing Cynthia Sandor: Pioneering earlier detection of Parkinson’s

Dr Cynthia Sandor, former Emerging Leader at the UK DRI at Cardiff, joins the UK DRI at Imperial as a Group Leader, where she will be tackling early diagnosis of Parkinson’s.

With a background in genetics, Dr Sandor uses computational methods to bring greater understanding to the underlying molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s. Read more about Cynthia's work on the UK DRI website.

Ageing brain fails to control neuronal activity with consequences for cognition

Age-linked cognitive decline findings from our UK DRI Centre

Ageing brain fails to control neuronal activity with consequences for cognition, according to a study led by Dr Sam Barnes and Dr Carola Radulescu. Read more on the UK DRI website.

Ancient DNA reveals reason for high MS and Alzheimer’s rates in Europe

Groundbreaking study of ancient genes provides brand new biological understanding of debilitating disorders

Researchers have created the world’s largest ancient human gene bank by analysing the bones and teeth of almost 5,000 humans who lived across western Europe and Asia up to 34,000 years ago. By sequencing ancient human DNA and comparing it to modern-day samples, the international team of experts mapped the historical spread of genes – and diseases – over time as populations migrated.

Read more on the University of Cambridge website.

Health Minister visits White City to see pioneering dementia research

The Minister for Health and Secondary Care Andrew Stephenson MP visited the UK Dementia Research Institute at White City.

The new Minister for Health and Secondary Care Andrew Stephenson MP visited Imperial's White City Campus yesterday to see the work of the UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre based at the Sir Michael Uren Hub. The Minister was hosted by Professor Deborah Ashby, Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Professor Siddharthan Chandran, Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute. Read more on the Imperial news website.

New non-invasive form of deep brain stimulation could provide alternative treatment for brain diseases

Cutting-edge work led by Imperial PI Dr Nir Grossman makes national press

Scientists from the UK Dementia Research Institute centre at Imperial College London featured on ITV News and in national newspapers. Read more on the Imperial website and the UK DRI website.

Imperial named UK’s best university

Imperial College London is ranked top of a new league table of UK universities.

Imperial has also been named University of the Year in the league table, published by the Daily Mail, and is praised for its "sustained excellence in all areas” alongside its commitment to social inclusion, including generous bursary support.

Read full article.

The UK Dementia Research Institute is a joint £290 million investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC), Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.