Indiana University School of Medicine is pleased to welcome new faculty member, Weidong Xiao, PhD, a world-renowned authority in gene therapy. Xiao’s expertise includes the development of a molecular tool for the transfer of genes called adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors.
Xiao’s research interests are in molecular virology, development of vectors for gene therapy, and hemophilia treatment. He has received continuous National Institutes of Health funding since 2001, and has trained in the leading programs and labs in his field. Xiao is currently the director of a U54 center grant to study immune responses in the treatment of hemophilia. His work also complements the research and goals of hematologists at IU Health and Riley Children’s Health.
“Xiao is a strong addition to our prestigious gene therapy team,” said Dr. Tatiana Foroud, PhD, who is the Executive Associate Dean for Research Affairs at IU School of Medicine, chair for the IU School of Medicine Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics and leader of the IU Grand Challenge Precision Health Initiative. “He is uniquely positioned to help IU develop vector production capabilities, giving our researchers the framework to tackle many other diseases in the future.”
Xiao will facilitate the development of gene therapies for genetic and acquired diseases, such as coagulation disorders, pulmonary diseases, and heart diseases.
Along with his appointment as a professor of pediatrics, Xiao will be the Grzegorz Nalepa Scholar for Molecular Therapy. He has also been named the Associate Director of the Gene and Cell Therapy Program in the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research at IU School of Medicine.
Xiao’s recruitment is supported by the Indiana Collaborative Initiative for Talent Enrichment (INCITE). INCITE aims to elevate Indiana’s position as one of the nation’s top life science research hubs by fostering an innovative recruitment strategy designed to attract top scientists to IU School of Medicine and the state. Funded by a $25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., INCITE also leverages the expertise of non-academic partners in the life sciences. As part of INCITE, IU School of Medicine is hiring scientists whose work will not only enhance research and education at the school, but also strengthen the economic health of Indiana’s life sciences community.
Xiao earned his PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1996, then his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia in 1999.
