Xiurong Zhao

Biography

Dr. Xiurong Zhao has got her Medical Degree from University of Shanda, China. Currently he is working as Associate Professor in The University of Texas Medical school.

Research Interest

One of the principal goals of my research is to investigate and develop novel therapies for hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes. Using ischemic stroke models and intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke model in rodent (mouse and rat), we explore the pathophysiological changes in the brain, and study the neurological deficits using a battery of behavioral measurement after stroke. Besides the in vivo animal models, we have set up also the in vitro cell injury models in primary brain cell culture system, which serve as complementary approaches, helping to understand each brain cell type’ specificity in response to stroke injury, the cross-talk between neurons and other glial cells, or the interaction between the inflammatory leukocytes (neutrophil, microglia and macrophages) and the brain cells (neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) in the injured brain. We measure the impact of these cell-cell interactions on inflammation development, hematoma reabsorption, brain cell damage and recovery. In our laboratory, we have set up a living time-lapse imaging system that allows us to observe and study the cell-cell interaction in the living cells.