Xiaojie Wang
Biography
Xiaojie Wang, Ph.D., is an Assistant scientist in the Department of Developmental & Cell Biology at the University of California, Irvine. Wang's research focuses on cellular senescence and stem cell biology, particularly examining how senescent cells influence tissue regeneration and hair follicle growth. Wang has also conducted extensive work on immune regulation in transplantation, investigating mechanisms of immune privilege and tolerance in islet transplantation for diabetes treatment.
Wang received a Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from the University of British Columbia, where the research centered on B7-H4 co-signaling pathways in islet transplantation. Following doctoral training, Wang completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of British Columbia and the University of California, Irvine. Wang's work has been supported by fellowships from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the NSF Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate.
Wang has published research in Nature and Science, including work demonstrating that senescent melanocytes can hyperactivate hair growth and studies on lipid vacuoles in cartilage biomechanics. Wang has mentored 19 undergraduate students, two master's students, and one doctoral rotation student, and serves as a reviewer for multiple journals including the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and Nature Partner Journal NPJ Aging. Wang holds an M.Sc. in Genetics from the University of British Columbia.
Return to topEducation
- Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine, The University of British Columbia, 2011
- M.Sc. in Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 2000
Distinctions
- NSF Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate, System Biology Fellow, 2018-2020
- International Transplantation Society, Best Abstract Award, 2009
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowships, 2012-2015
- University Graduate Fellowships, 2009-2010
- Graduate Entrance Scholarships, 2006
- VCHRI Rising Star Award, 2012-2013
- Basic Science Symposia, Presentation Award, 2007
Areas of Expertise
- Regenerative Biology
- Islet Transplantation Immunology
- B7-H4 Costimulatory Pathway
- Hair Follicle Immune Privilege
- Aging, Senescence, and Tissue Regeneration
- Osteopontin-CD44 Stem Cell Axis
- Cartilage Lipid Vacuole Biomechanics
- lineage plasticity in tissue regeneration
- metabolic plasticity in tissue regeneration
Recent Publications
- Ramos R, Pham KT, Prince RC, Leiser-Miller RC, Prasad MS, Wang X, Plikus MV, “Super-stable lipid vacuoles endow cartilage with its shape and biomechanics”, Science, 2025.
- Wang X, Plikus MV, “Aged skin cells nurture stem cells toward regeneration”, JID, 2023.
- Wang X, Plikus MV, “Signaling by senescent melanocytes hyperactivates hair growth”, Nature, 2023.
- Plikus MV, Wang X, Sinha S, Forte E, Thompson SM, Herzog EL, Driskell RR, Rosenthal N, Biernaskie J, Horsley V, “Fibroblasts: Origins, definitions, and functions in health and disease”, Cell, vol. 184, no. 15, pp. 3852, 2021.
- Sulli G, Rommel A, Wang X, Puca F, Plikus MV, Verma I, Panda S, “Pharmacological activation of clock component REV-ERBs is lethal for cancer and oncogene induced senescence”, Nature, 2018.
- Wang Q, Oh JW, Lee HL, Dhar A, Peng T, Ramos R, Guerrero-Juarez CF, Wang X, Plikus MV, “A mulita-scale model for hair follicles reveals heterogeneous domains driving rapid spatiotemporal hair growth patterning”, Elife, 2017.
- Plikus MV, Guerrero-Juarez CF, Ito M, Li YR, Dedhia PH, Zheng Y, Shao M, Gay DL, Ramos R, Hsi TC, Oh JW, Wang X, Cortsarelis G, “Regeneration of fat cells from myofibroblasts during wound healing”, Science, 2017.
- Wang X, Hao J, Leung G, Breitkopf T, Wang E, Kwong N, Akhoundsadegh N, Warnock GL, Shapiro J, McElwee KJ, “Hair follicle dermal sheath derived cells improve islet allograft survival without systemic immunosuppression”, J. Immunol Res., vol. 607328, 2015.
- Wang X, Hsi TC, Guerrero-Juarez CF, Pham K, Cho K, McCusker CD, Monuki ES, Cho KW, Gay DL, Plikus MV, “Principles and mechanisms of regeneration in the mouse model for wound-induced hair follicle neogenesis”, Regeneration, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 169-181, 2015.
- Wang X, Marr AK, Breitkopf T, Leung G, Hao J, Wang E, Kwong N, Akhoundsadegh N, Chen L, Mui A, Carr N, Warnock GL, Shapiro J, McElwee KJ, “Hair follicle-associated B7-H1 regulates T cell activation induced apoptosis: A potential mechanism of immune privilege”, J Invest Dermatol., vol. 134, no. 3, pp. 736-45, 2014.
- Lee IF, Wang X, Hao J, Akhoundsadegh N, Chen L, Liu L, Langermann S, Ou D, Warnock GL, “B7-H4.Ig inhibits the development of Type 1 diabetes by regulating Th17 cells in NOD cells”, Cell Immunol., vol. 282, no. 1, pp. 1-8, 2013.
- Wang X, Hao J, Metzger DL, Mui A, Lee IF, Akhoundsadegh N, Ao Z, Chen L, Ou D, Verchere CB, Warnock GL, “Endogenous expression of B7-H4 improves long-term murine islet allograft survival”, Transplantation, vol. 95, no. 1, pp. 94-9, 2012.
- Wang X, Hao J, Metzger DL, Ao Z, Verchere CB, Chen L, Ou D, Mui A, Warnock GL, “Blockade of both B7-H4 and CTLA-4 co-signaling pathways enhances mouse islet allograft survival”, Islets, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 284-95, 2012.
- Wang X, Hao J, Metzger DL, Ao Z, Verchere CB, Chen L, Ou D, Mui A, Warnock GL, “B7-H4 treatment of T cells inhibits ERK, JNK, p38, and AKT activation”, PLoS ONE, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. e28232, 2012.
- Wang X, Hao J, Metzger DL, Mui A, Verchere CB, Chen L, Ou D, Warnock GL, “B7-H4 Induces Donor Specific Tolerance in Mouse Islet Allografts”, Cell Transplant., vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 99-111, 2012.
- Wang X, Metzger DL, Meloche M, Hao J, Ao Z, Warnock GL, “Generation of transplantable Beta cells for patient-specific cell therapy”, Int J Endocrinol., vol. 2012, pp. 414812, 2012.
- Wang X, Hao J, Metzger DL, Mui A, Ao Z, Akhoundsadegh N, Langermann S, Liu L, Chen L, Ou D, Verchere CB, Warnock GL, “Early treatment of NOD mice with B7-H4 reduces the incidence of autoimmune diabetes”, Diabetes, vol. 60, no. 12, pp. 3246-55, 2011.
- Wang X, Meloche M, Verchere CB, Ou D, Mui A, Warnock GL, “Improving islet engraftment by gene therapy”, J. Transplantation, vol. 594851, 2011.
- Wang X, Hao J, Metzger DL, Ao Z, Meloche M, Verchere CB, Chen L, Ou D, Mui A, Warnock GL, “B7-H4 pathway in islet transplantation and β-cell replacement therapies”, J. Transplant., vol. 418902, 2011.
- Wang X, Hao J, Metzger DL, Mui A, Ao Z, Verchere CB, Chen L, Ou D, Warnock GL, “Local expression of B7-H4 by recombinant adenovirus transduction in mouse islets prolongs allograft survival”, Transplantation, vol. 87, no. 4, pp. 482-90, 2009.
Contact Information
Email: xiaojiw2@uci.edu
Phone: (949) 824-4716
Address: 1200 Gross Hall
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Last updated on 5/23/2026.