Bailong Xiao Ph.D.

Professor | Outstanding Young Talent of the National Science Foundation for China | Ten Thousand Talent Program of China|Excellent Young Scientists Fund of the National Science Foundation for China｜Young Thousand Talent Program of China

Main Research Fields

Combining our established research platform and expertise in studying MA ion channels and innovative methodologies for drug discovery and novel ion channel identification, we aim to:

1) understand the dynamic mechanogating mechanism of Piezo channels;

2) discover and develop drugs targeting Piezo channels;

3) explore how the biophysical properties of Piezo channels determine their physiological and pathophysiological roles in vivo;

4) identify and characterize novel MA channels via utilizing an innovative structural and pharmacological profiling approach.

The proposed studies might not only advance our understanding of MA ion channels and mechanotransduction mechanisms, but also help to reveal novel therapeutic targets for treating devastating diseases such as pain, bone loss, heart diseases, and cancer.

Selected Publications

1. Xuzhong Yang#, Chao Lin#, Xudong Chen#, Shouqin Li#, Xueming Li*, Bailong Xiao*.(2022) Structure deformation and curvature sensing of PIEZO1 in lipid membranes. Nature (Article) 2022 Apr;604(7905):377-383.
2. Li Wang, Heng Zhou, Mingmin Zhang, Wenhao Liu, Tuan Deng, Qiancheng Zhao, Yiran Li, Jianlin Lei, Xueming Li*, Bailong Xiao*. (2019) Structure and mechanogating of the mammalian tactile channel PIEZO2. Nature (Article) 2019 Sep;573(7773):225-229.
3. Qiancheng Zhao, Heng Zhou, Shaopeng Chi, Yanfeng Wang, Jianhua Wang, Jie Geng, Kun Wu, Wenhao Liu, Tingxin Zhang, Meng-Qiu Dong, Jiawei Wang, Xueming Li*, Bailong Xiao* (2018) Structure and Mechanogating Mechanism of the Piezo1 Channel. Nature (Article) 2018 Feb 22;554(7693):487-492.
4. Jingpeng Ge, Wanqiu Li*, Qiancheng Zhao*, Ningning Li*, Maofei Chen, Peng Zhi, Ruochong Li, Ning Gao#, Bailong Xiao#, Maojun Yang# (2015). Architecture of the mammalian mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel. Nature(Article)  2015 Nov 5;527(7576):64-9.
5. Bertrand Coste* (co-first), Bailong Xiao* (co-first), Jose S. Santos, Ruhma Syeda, Jorg Grandl, Kathryn S. Spencer, Sung Eun Kim, Manuela Schmidt, Jayanti Mathur, Adrienne E. Dubin, Mauricio Montal, Ardem Patapoutian (2012). Piezo Proteins Are Pore-forming Subunits of Mechanically Activated Channels. Nature （Article） 2012 Feb 19;483(7388):176-81
6. Jie Geng, Wenhao Liu, Heng Zhou, Tingxin Zhang, Li Wang, Mingmin Zhang, Yiran Li, Bo Shen, Xueming Li#, Bailong Xiao# (2020) A plug-and-latch mechanism for gating the mechanosensitive Piezo channel. Neuron. 2020 May 6;106(3):438-451.
7. Qiancheng Zhao, Kun Wu, Jie Geng, Shaopeng Chi, Yanfeng Wang, Peng Zhi, Mingmin Zhang, Bailong Xiao* (2016). Ion Permeation and Mechanotransduction Mechanisms of Mechanosensitive Piezo Channels. Neuron. 2016 Mar 16;89(6):1248-63.
8. Fan Jiang, Kunlun Yin, Kun Wu, Mingmin Zhang, Shiqiang Wang, Heping Cheng, Zhou Zhou, Bailong Xiao# (2021) The mechanosensitive Piezo1 channel mediates heart mechano-chemo transduction. Nature Commun. 2021 Feb 8;12(1):869. 
9. Yang Jiang*, Xuzhong Yang*, Jinghui Jiang*, Bailong Xiao# (2021) Structural Designs and Mechanogating of the Mechanosensitive Piezo channels. Trends Biochem Sci. 2021 Feb 17:S0968-0004(21)00022-0. 
10. Bailong Xiao*. (2020) Levering mechanically activated Piezo channels for potential pharmacological intervention. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology , 2020 Jan 6;60:195-218.