Our Science – Gao Website

Xiao-jiang Gao, Ph.D.

Laboratory of Experimental Immunology HLA Typing Section Staff Scientist (Contr) Center for Cancer Research National Cancer Institute Bldg. 560, Rm 21-75 PO Box B Frederick, MD 21702-1201 Phone:   301-846-5324 Fax:   301-846-1673 E-Mail:   GAOX@MAIL.NCIFCRF.GOV

Biography

Dr. Gao graduated at Beijing Second Medical College, China. After a brief residency he started a research career at Beijing Lung Tumor Institute. From 1986-1990 he was a Visiting Research Fellow in the South Western Medical Center in Dallas Texas. He went on to become a Ph.D. scholar in John Curtin School of Medical Research, the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia and got his Ph.D. in Human Genetics in 1993. Dr. Gao is currently a Senior Scientist in the Cancer & Inflammation Group at the NCI-Frederick. His research interests are mainly focused on the genetic diversity of human populations and its impact on diseases, in particular, the polymorphism of MHC genes and its interaction with killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) genes.

Research

Research Projects:

1. Characterization of the genetic diversity of HLA genes. High resolution and large throughput molecular gene typing for class I and class II HLA genes for disease cohorts have become a prerequisite for understanding the role played by these highly polymorphic immunogenetic genes. Inherited genetic variations at the nucleotide as well as peptide level provide crucial information to the understanding of disease pathogenesis.

2. Interaction between MHC and KIR and its impact on cancer and infectious disease. Investigation of both MHC and KIR genes provides insights into the synergistic interaction between the two highly polymorphic immunogenetic systems and its relevance to cancer and infectious diseases and lead to an overall understanding of the cross-passing between the acquired immunity and innate immunity.

This page was last updated on 2/26/2013.