Cong Xin Research fellow

Tel：13811128846

Research interest

The function and regulatory mechanism of tight junctions in epithelial and endothelial intercellular cells

Personal statement 

Ø 2002/09-2007/07, Bachelor’s Degree, School of Nursing, Peking University

Ø 2007/09-2012/07, Ph.D, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University (supervisor: Prof. Li-Ling Wu)

Ø 2012/07-2014/07, Post. Doc., Institute of Neuroscience, Peking University (supervisor: Prof. Yun Wang)

Ø 2014/07-2017/08, Assistant Researcher, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University

Ø 2017/08-2025/04, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University

Ø 2025/05-present, Researcher, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University

Representative grants:

Ø National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), General Program, Grant No. 82570507. The role and mechanism of vascular endothelial tight junction molecule ZO-1 in the occurrence and development of hypertension. 2026/01-2029/12. Funding: 490,000 RMB. In Progress. Principal Investigator.

Ø National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), General Program, Grant No. 31972908. The role and mechanism of tricellular tight junction protein tricellulin in the progression of Sjogren's syndrome. 2020/01-2023/12. Funding: 580,000 RMB. Completed. Principal Investigator.

Ø Beijing Natural Science Foundation, General Program, Grant No. 7202082. The role of tricellular tight junction protein tricellulin in the regulation of barrier function in submandibular gland acinar epithelium. 2020/01-2022/12. Funding: 200,000 RMB. Completed. Principal Investigator.

Ø National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), General Program, Grant No. 81771093. The dysfunction of endothelial tight junction in submandibular gland is an important factor in the progression of Sjogren's syndrome. 2018/01-2021/12. Funding: 560,000 RMB. Completed. Principal Investigator.

Ø Beijing Natural Science Foundation, Pre-exploration Program, Grant No. 7173263. The role and mechanism of tricellular tight junction protein in the regulation of dry mouth in Sjogren's syndrome. Beijing Natural Science Foundation. 2017/01-2018/06, Funding: 60,000 RMB. Completed. Principal Investigator.

Ø China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program. Function and Regulation of Intercellular Tight Junctions. 2015/01-2017/12. Funding: 450,000 RMB. Completed. Principal Investigator.

Ø National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Youth Project, No. 81300893. Claudin-4 serves as a novel target for muscarinic cholinergic receptor to modulate submandibular secretion. 2014/01-2016/12. Funding: 240,000 RMB. Completed. Principal Investigator.

Ø China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, General Program. Mechanism Study on Activation of Capsaicin Receptors Regulating Tight Junction ZO-1 in Submandibular Glands. 2013/05-2014/07. Funding: 50,000 RMB. Completed. Principal Investigator.

Ø National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, National Major Science and Technology Project, No. 2024ZD0526404. Exploration of Novel Prevention and Treatment Methods for Aortic Aneurysm/Dissection Based on Innate Immune Network Regulation (Sub-project 4). 2025/01-2027/12. Funding: 700,000 RMB (Total Project Funding: 1,950,000 RMB). In Progress. Core Member of Sub-project.

Ø Beijing Municipal Health Commission, Beijing Physician-Scientist Training Program. Funding: 500,000 RMB. Mentor (Mentee: Jia-Zeng Su, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology). 2024/05-2025/04.

Ø National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Key Project, No. 81991502. Mechanisms of Regional Immunity in Maintaining and Remodeling Periodontal Homeostasis. 2020/01-2024/12. Funding: 900,000 RMB (Total Project Funding: 3,964,000 RMB). Completed. Core Member of Sub-project.

Recent publications:

Ø Mao XD*, Li HB, Min SN, Su JZ, Wei P, Zhang Y, He QH, Wu LL, Yu GY, Cong X#. Loss of tricellular tight junction tricellulin leads to hyposalivation in Sjögren’s syndrome. Int J Oral Sci. 2025, 17(1): 22. (IF=12.2)

Ø Li H, Liu C, Mao X, Yuan S, Li L, Cong X#. Identifying HIF1A and HGF as two hub genes in aortic dissection and function analysis by integrating RNA sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing data. Front in Cardiovasc Med. 2024,11: 1475991.

Ø Cong X*#, Mao XD, Wu LL, Yu GY#. The role and mechanism of tight junctions in the regulation of salivary gland secretion. Oral Dis. 2024, 30: 3-22. Review

Ø Yang X*, Xu C*, Yao F, Ding Q, Liu H, Luo C, Wang D, Huang J, Li Z, Shen Y, Yang W, Li Z, Yu F, Fu Y, Wang L, Ma Q, Zhu J, Xu F#, Cong X#, Kong W#. Targeting endothelial tight junctions to predict and protect thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection. Eur Heart J. 2023, 44(14): 1248-1261. (IF=38.1, with editorial, ESI highly cited paper)

Ø Cai Z*, Xie N*, Gong Z, Yang Z, Lin F, Li Z, Dai R, Chen Y, Zhang S, Zhu S, Zhou S, Lin J, Yu F, Liu L, Sun J, Zhou J, Li W, Xiong C, Fu Y, Cong X#, Kong W#. Activin receptor-like kinase 3 directly couples Gαq (guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit αq)/Gαq (guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit α11) to regulate vascular contractility. Hypertension. 2023, 80(6): 1231-1244. (IF=7.2)

Ø He L*, Yuan SZ*, Mao XD, Zhao YW, He QH, Zhang Y, Su JZ, Wu LL, Yu GY, Cong X#. Claudin-10 decrease in the submandibular gland contributes to xerostomia. J Dent Res. 2024, 103(2):167-176. (IF=5.9)

Ø Mao XD*, Min SN*, Zhu MQ, He L, Zhang Y, Li JW, Tian YX, Yu GY, Wu LL, Cong X#. The role of endothelial barrier function in the fibrosis of salivary gland. J Dent Res. 2023, 102(1): 82-92. (IF=5.7)

Ø Zhu M*, Min S, Mao X, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Li W, Li L, Wu L, Cong X#, Yu G#. Interleukin-13 promotes cellular senescence through inducing mitochondrial dysfunction in IgG4-related sialadenitis. Int J Oral Sci. 2022,14(1): 29. (IF=14.9)

Ø Min SN*, Zhu MQ, Mao XD, Li W, Wei T, Mei M, Zhang Y, Wu LL, Yu GY#, Cong X#. Contribution of interleukin-4-induced epithelial cell senescence to glandular fibrosis in IgG4-related sialadenitis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2022, 74(6): 1070-1082. (IF=13.3)

Ø Li Z*, Cong X#, Kong W#. Matricellular proteins: potential biomarkers and mechanistic factors in aortic aneurysms. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2022, 169: 41-56. (IF=5.0) Review

Ø Mao X*, Min S, He Q#, Cong X#. In vivo vascular permeability detection in mouse submandibular gland. J Vis Exp. 2022, (186).

Ø Min SN*, Wu LL, Zhang YY, Zhu WX, Cong X#, Yu GY#. Disruption of tight junction structure contributes to secretory dysfunction in IgG4-related sialadenitis. J Mol Histol. 2020, 51(1): 33-46.

Ø Cong X*, Kong W#. Endothelial tight junctions and their regulatory signaling pathways in vascular homeostasis and disease. Cell Signal. 2020, 66: 109485. (IF=4.315) Review Cited 222 times in Web of Science

Ø Min SN*, Cong X*, Zhang Y, Xiang RL, Zhou Y, Yu GY#, Wu LL#. Tricellulin modulates transport of macromolecules in the salivary gland. J Dent Res. 2020, 99(3): 302-310. (IF=6.116)

Supervised 4 doctoral students:

1 graduated (Xiang-Di Mao);

3 currently studying (Shu-Zheng Yuan, Hai-Bing Li, Shao-Jin Li);

Supervised 3 master's students:

2 graduated (Liu He, Jian-Kuo Jiang);

1 currently studying (Zi-Tian Duan);

Served as associate supervisor for 6 doctoral students:

2 graduated with a doctoral degree (Sai-Nan Min, Xue-Yuan Yang);

4 doctoral students currently studying (Qian-Hui Ding, Hao-Wei Yu, Han Nan, Yi-Xue Tian).