Education

2006-2011 , Ph.D    Neurobiology, School of basic medical Science, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China

2001-2006,, Bachelor    Medical Imageology, The First Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China

Research and Working Experience

2017- 2018 Visiting Scholar, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong

2013/11-present Professor, Dept. of Neurobiology, Southern Medical University

20011/06-2013/11 Post-doctoral Fellow, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University

Research interests

Understanding the neurobiology mechanism of depression and anxiety

Selected Publications

1. Mo JW, Kong PL, Ding L, Fan J, Ren J, Lu CL, Guo F, Chen LY, Mo R, Zhong QL, Wen YL, Gu TT, Wang QW, Li SJ, Guo T, Gao TM, Cao X. Lysosomal TFEB-TRPML1 Axis in Astrocytes Modulates Depressive-like Behaviors. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Sep 12:e2403389.

2. Lu CL, Ren J, Cao X. An Astroglial Basis of Major Depressive Disorder: Molecular, Cellular, and Circuit Features. Biol Psychiatry. 2024 Jul 29:S0006-3223(24)01484-7.

3. Guo F, Fan J, Liu JM, Kong PL, Ren J, Mo JW, Lu CL, Zhong QL, Chen LY, Jiang HT, Zhang C, Wen YL, Gu TT, Li SJ, Fang YY, Pan BX, Gao TM, Cao X. Astrocytic ALKBH5 in stress response contributes to depressive-like behaviors in mice. Nat Commun. 2024 May 21;15(1):4347.

4. Fan J, Guo F, Mo R, Chen LY, Mo J, Lu CL, Ren J, Zhong Q, Kuang X, Wen Y, Gu TT, Liu J, Li S, Fang Y, Zhao C, Gao TM, Cao X*. O-GlcNAc transferase in astrocytes modulates depression-related stress susceptibility through glutamatergic synaptic transmission. J Clin Invest. 2023 Feb 9:e160016. doi: 10.1172/JCI160016.

5. Liu J, Mo JW, Wang X, An Z, Zhang S, Zhang CY, Yi P, Leong ATL, Ren J, Chen LY, Mo R, Xie Y, Feng Q, Chen W, Gao TM, Wu EX*, Feng Y*, Cao X*. Astrocyte dysfunction drives abnormal resting-state functional connectivity in depression. Sci Adv. 2022 Nov 18;8(46):eabo2098.

6. Lu CL, Ren J, Mo JW, Fan J, Guo F, Chen LY, Wen YL, Li SJ, Fang YY, Wu ZF, Li YL, Gao TM, Cao X*. Glucocorticoid Receptor-Dependent Astrocytes Mediate Stress Vulnerability. Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Aug 1;92(3):204-215.

7. Ren J, Lu CL, Huang J, Fan J, Guo F, Mo JW, Huang WY, Kong PL, Li XW, Sun LR, Sun XD*, Cao X*. A Distinct Metabolically Defined Central Nucleus Circuit Bidirectionally Controls Anxiety-Related Behaviors. J Neurosci. 2022 Mar 16;42(11):2356-2370. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1578-21.2022.

8. Kuang XJ, Zhang CY, Yan BY, Cai WZ, Lu CL, Xie LJ, Li SJ, Kong PL, Fan J, Pan SM, Guo T, Cao X*. P2X2 receptors in pyramidal neurons are critical for regulating vulnerability to chronic stress. Theranostics. 2022 May 1;12(8):3703-3718. doi: 10.7150/thno.72144.

9. Cao X, Li LP, Wang Q, Wu Q, Hu HH, Zhang M, Fang YY, Zhang J, Li SJ, Xiong WC, Yan HC, Gao YB, Liu JH, Li XW, Sun LR, Zeng YN, Zhu XH*, Gao TM*. Astrocyte-derived ATP modulates depressive-like behaviors. Nat Med. 2013 Jun;19(6):773-7.