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Wenhao Xu

Xu, Wenhao

Primary Appointment

Research Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology

Education

  • BS,MS, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai 2nd Medical University, Shanghai, China
  • PhD, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
  • Postdoc, Molecular Genetics, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Contact Information

PO Box 800734
Pinn 2223
Telephone: 982-6506
Email: wx8n@virginia.edu
Website: https://med.virginia.edu/genetically-engineered-murine-model-core/

Research Interests

Genetic engineering of murine research models by manipulating embryos, embryonic stem cells and germlines.

Research Description

My research interest is focused on genetic manipulations of embryos, embryonic stem cells and germlines for creating designer murine research models. Since 1981 when the first transgenic mouse was made, the transgenic technology has evolved a major in vivo experimental approach for biomedical research. The technology has been refined to such sophistication that the transgenes can be regulated in space and time. With the arrival of CRISPR in 2012, the majority of the systemic and inheritable gene editing have been carried out in embryos or embryonic stem cells. Direct germline genetic engineering can be accomplished in male or female germ cells at certain stage of development, but is currently limited by the experimental system that can adequately support in vitro manipulation. My research interests is to explore and discover ways to modify germ cells or embryos at different stages so that more efficient and sophisticated genetic manipulation could be accomplished with CRISPR technology.

Selected Publications