Junyu Xiao received his BS degree from Peking University in 2002, and his PhD degree in 2008 from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He then obtained his postdoc training with Prof. Jack Dixon at University of California, San Diego. After working as a Project Scientist at UC San Diego for a few years, he started his own independent group at Peking University in 2014. He is an Associate Professor (with tenure) at the School of Life Sciences, as well as Principal Investigator of the Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences.

　　Since joining Peking University, Dr. Xiao first continued his research on a group of novel kinases that phosphorylated secreted proteins and glycans. These studies have provided mechanistic insights into the function of these proteins and shed light on related human diseases. In the meanwhile, Dr. Xiao has developed an interest in immunoglobulins. Using cryo-electron microscopy technology, Dr. Xiao’s group has characterized the core structures of secretory IgM and IgA, which provide a framework to further understand their function and pave the way for the structure-based engineering of these important molecules. Recently, Dr. Xiao’s group has also participated to understand the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 that causes the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Selected Publications

　　1. Du, S., Cao, Y., Zhu, Q., Yu, P., Qi. F., Wang, G., Du, X., Bao, L., Deng, W., Zhu, H., Liu, J., Nie, J., Zheng, Y., Liang, H., Liu, R., Gong, S., Xu, H., Yisimayi, A., Lv, Q., Wang, B., He, R., Han, Y., Zhao, W., Bai, Y., Qu, Y., Gao, X., Ji, C., Wang, Q., Gao, N., Huang, W., Wang, Y., Xie, S.X*., Su, X.-d*., Xiao, J.*, Qin, C.*. Structurally resolved SARS-CoV-2 antibody shows high efficacy in severely infected hamsters and provides a potent cocktail pairing strategy. Cell Epub 2020 Sep 14.

　　2. Li, Y., Wang, G., Li, N., Wang, Y., Zhu, Q., Chu, H., Wu, W., Tan, Y., Yu, F., Su, X.D., Gao, N., Xiao, J.* (2020). Structural insights into immunoglobulin M. Science 367:1014-1017.

　　3. Wang, Y., Wang, G., Li, Y., Zhu, Q., Shen, H., Gao, N., Xiao, J.* (2020). Structural insights into secretory immunoglobulin A and its interaction with a pneumococcal adhesin. Cell Research 30:602-609.

　　4. Banerjee, S., Wei, T., Wang, J., Lee, J.J., Gutierrez, H.L., Chapman, O., Wiley, S.E., Mayfield, J.E., Tandon, V., Juarez, E.F., Chavez, L., Liang, R., Sah, R.L., Costello, C., Mesirov, J.P., de la Vega, L., Cooper, K.L., Dixon, J.E.*, Xiao, J.*, Lei, X*. (2019). Inhibition of dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 2 perturbs 26S proteasome-addicted neoplastic progression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116:24881-24891.
5. Ji, C., Du, S., Li, P., Zhu, Q., Yang, X., Long, C., Yu, J., Shao, F.*, Xiao, J.* (2019). Structural mechanism for guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs) targeting by the Shigella E3 ligase IpaH9.8. PLoS Pathog. 15:e1007876.

　　6. Liang, K., Li, N., Wang, X., Dai, J., Liu, P., Wang, C., Chen, X.W., Gao, N., Xiao, J.* (2018). Cryo-EM structure of human mitochondrial trifunctional protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115:7039-7044.

　　7. Zhang, H., Zhu, Q., Cui, J., Wang, Y., Chen, M.J., Guo, X., Tagliabracci, V.S., Dixon, J.E., Xiao, J.* (2018). Structure and evolution of the Fam20 kinases. Nature Communications 9:1218.

　　8. Sun, X., Li, Y., He, W., Ji, C., Xia, P., Wang, Y., Du, S., Li, H., Raikhel, N., Xiao, J.*, Guo, H.* (2017). Pyrazinamide and derivatives block ethylene biosynthesis by inhibiting ACC oxidase. Nature Communications 8:15758.

　　9. Cui, J., Zhu, Q., Zhang, H., Cianfrocco, M.A., Leschziner, A.E., Dixon, J.E.*, Xiao, J.* (2017). Structure of Fam20A reveals a pseudokinase featuring a unique disulfide pattern and inverted ATP-binding. eLife 6, e23990.

　　10. Zhu, Q., Venzke, D., Walimbe, A.S., Anderson, M.E., Fu, Q., Kinch, L.N., Wang, W., Chen, X., Grishin, N.V., Huang, N., Yu, L., Dixon, J.E., Campbell, K.P.*, Xiao, J.* (2016). Structure of protein O-mannose kinase reveals a unique active site architecture. eLife 5, e22238.