Assistant Professor of Microbiology
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Natural & Social Sciences
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Xu received his Ph.D. in Microbiology from University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at
The Ohio State University. Dr. Xu spent seven years at the
biotechnology industry, engaging in discovery of novel antibiotics
employing functional genomics, microbial physiology, assay
development and high throughput screening approaches. Dr. Xu
joined the faculty at California State University, Los Angeles in
2004.
TEACHING INTERESTS
Dr. Xu teaches a wide variety of courses in the Department of
Biological Science. These courses include Principles of Gene
Manipulation, General Microbiology, Bacterial Structure and
Function, Microbial Genetics, Bacterial Physiology and Graduate
level Antibiotics and Advanced Microbial Physiology. In addition,
Dr. Xu provides research training to undergraduate and graduate
students from Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry &
Biochemistry. Students of all levels are encouraged to inquire
about potential research training opportunities in the Xu
Laboratory.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Leveraging his expertise in antibacterial drug discovery in the
biotechnology industry, Dr. Xu has established and is expanding
research programs focusing on the discovery of novel antibiotics
employing several complimentary approaches.
Bacterial Functional Genomics. This project involves
identification and characterization of bacterial essential genes
and proteins which are absolutely required for the proliferation
and survival of bacterial cells. Modern techniques of antisense
expression, transposon mutagenesis, gene knock-out, molecular
cloning, biochemistry and genetic engineering will be routinely
used.
Assay Development. With new knowledge from bacterial
functional genomics research, cell-based and biochemical
(cell-free) assays will be developed to probe interactions of
chemical compounds with various essential processes within a
bacterial cell. This project relies heavily on the principles and
methodologies of molecular genetics, microbial physiology,
biochemistry, enzymology and genetic engineering.
Antibacterial High Throughput Screening. In order to
facilitate discovery of novel chemical structures with
antibacterial activity, our laboratory has acquired robotic, high
throughput instruments to perform high throughput screening (HTS)
campaigns using developed assays to identify hit compounds from
compounds libraries. We are either acquiring or securing access to
vast diverse compound libraries and/or natural product extract
libraries (including traditional Chinese Medicines).
Clinical Microbiology. Emergence and spread of
antibiotic resistance (especially multi-drug resistance) not only
highlights the unmet need of novel antibiotics but also
demands better understanding of the mechanisms of resistance and
faster molecular diagnostics of the pathogens. The objectives of
this project are to elucidate mechanisms of resistance for
emerging clinical isolates and to develop novel diagnostic
strategies and methods.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Postdoctoral Fellow, Microbiology, 1992-1996
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Ph.D., Microbiology, 1992
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota
M.S., Environmental Microbiology, 1988
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio
B.S., Microbiology, 1982
Wuhan University, P. R. China
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