1、Educational Experience

Ph.D. in Pharmacokinetics, June 2013, China Pharmaceutical University, China

B.S. in Basic Pharmacy, June 2008, China Pharmaceutical University, China

2、Working Experience

Associate Prof, July 2019-, China Pharmaceutical University, China

Instructor, Aug 2016-June 2019, China Pharmaceutical University, China

Research Assistant, Oct 2013-July 2016, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, China

[1] Zheng X, Cai X, Hao H*. Emerging targetome and signalome landscape of gut microbial metabolites. Cell Metabolism. (2022)34(1):35-58. [IF: 31.373]

[2] Zhang Y^#, Fan Q^#, Hou Y^#, Zhang X, Yin Z, Cai X, Wei W, Wang J, He D, Wang G, Yuan Y^*, Hao H^*,Zheng X^*. Bacteroides species differentially modulate depression-like behavior via gut-brain metabolic signaling. Brain Behavior Immunity (2022) 102, 11-22. [IF: 19.227]

[3] Hou Y, Wei W, Guan X, Liu Y, Bian G, He D, Fan Q, Cai X, Zhang Y, Wang G, Zheng X*, Hao H*. A diet-microbial metabolism feedforward loop modulates intestinal stem cell renewal in the stressed gut. Nature Communications (2021) 12, 271. [IF: 14.919]

[4] Guan XJ, Zhang YY, Zheng X*, Hao HP*. Drug Discovery Inspired from Nuclear Receptor Sensing of Microbial Signals. Trends in Molecular Medicine. (2021) 27(7):624-626. [IF:15.272]

[5] Zhang X^*, Cai X, Zheng X^*. Gut microbiome-oriented therapy for metabolic diseases: challenges and opportunities towards clinical translation. Trends in Pharmacological Science (2021) 42(12):984-987. [IF:17.638]

[6] Zheng X^#, Hu M^#, Zang X, Fan Q, Liu Y, Che Y, Guan X, Hou Y, Wang G*, Hao H*. Kynurenic acid/GPR35 axis restricts NLRP3 inflammasome activation and exacerbates colitis in mice with social stress. Brain Behavior Immunity (2019) 79, 244-255. [IF:6.774]

[7] Fan Q^#, Guan X^#, Hou Y, Liu Y, Wei W, Cai X, Zhang Y, Wang G*, Zheng X*, Hao H^*. Paeoniflorin modulates gut microbial production of indole-3-lactate and epithelial autophagy to alleviate colitis in mice. Phytomedicine (2020) 79, 153345. [IF: 5.340]

[1] Excellent Youth Talent project from the Central Organization Department (2022)

[2] General Program from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82274009, 81973556)

[3] Outstanding Youth Teacher Award from the QingLan Project of Jiangsu Province (2021)

1、Academic Awards

   Science & Technology Award from Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government (the Frist Prize, 2021, R5)

2、Representative Research Achievements

 My research focuses on the metabolic regulation of gut-brain crosstalk, in particular the signaling metabolites and downstream molecular pathway underlying diseases such as depressive disorder and irritable bowel disease. Based on the use of multi-omics, optogenetics and germ free animals, our research particularly focuses on how host and microbial metabolism of diet and drugs regulate neural and immune responses along the gut-brain axis, and their relevance to the pathogenesis of gut-brain disorders and treatment.