Members’ Labs

Xu Xiao, PhD

Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky

Primary Research:

The Xiao Lab investigates how intracellular cholesterol transport and organelle lipid homeostasis regulate cardiovascular and metabolic health. Our research focuses on identifying cholesterol transport proteins, understanding their roles in cellular and systemic lipid metabolism, and developing strategies to modulate cholesterol distribution for the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases. A major focus of our laboratory is the Aster/GRAMD1 family of nonvesicular cholesterol transport proteins. Using genetic mouse models, molecular, biochemistry and cellular approaches, we investigate how intracellular cholesterol trafficking regulates lipoprotein metabolism, atherosclerosis, vascular inflammation, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and liver fibrosis. We also employ cholesterol click chemistry and CRISPR–Cas9-based genetic screening to identify novel intracellular cholesterol transporters and regulatory pathways. In parallel, we develop innovative cholesterol imaging tools to visualize cholesterol distribution within cells and tissues. Our long-term goal is to uncover fundamental mechanisms of intracellular cholesterol transport and translate these discoveries into new therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Laboratory web site URL:

https://medicine.uky.edu/users/xxi240

Recent Presentations:

03/25/2026: Markey Cancer Center Research Seminar Series, University of Kentucky, KY. "Intracellular Cholesterol Transport in Health and Disease."
12/05/2025: COBRE-CCM Annual Review Meeting, University of Kentucky, KY. "Intracellular Cholesterol Transport in Health and Disease."
07/21/2025: SCBA Hepatology Division & CALS Scientific Symposium, Geneva, NY. "Intracellular Cholesterol Transport and MASLD."
05/01/2025: Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, Spring 2025 Seminar Series. "Navigating the Cellular Highway: Unraveling Intracellular Lipid Transport for Health and Disease."
08/19/2024: Academy of Cardiovascular Research Excellence (ACRE), ACRE-SAHR@ISHR-NAS, Long Beach, California, US.
03/24/2024: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, DiscoverBMB 2024, San Antonio, Texas, US.

Lab Members

Recent Publications

Kim H, Romartinez-Alonso B, Xiao X, Gao Y, Kennelly JP, Ferrari A, Li R, Cui L, Whang E, Schwabe JWR, Jung ME, and Tontonoz P. Design and Structural Basis of Selective Non-Steroidal Inhibitors of Aster Cholesterol Trafficking. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Sep. Vol. 123 (36); doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2617638123.
Kennelly JP, Xiao X, Gao Y, Kim S, Hong SG, Villanueva M, Ferrari A, Vanharanta L, Nguyen A, Nagari RT, Burton NR, Tol MJ, Becker AP, Lee MJ, Ikonen E, Backus KM, Mack JJ, Tontonoz P. Cholesterol binding to VCAM-1 promotes vascular inflammation. Preprint bioRxiv 2024.09.17.613543; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.17.613543.
Xiao X, Kennelly JP, Feng AC, Cheng L, Romartinez-Alonso B, Bedard A, Gao Y, Cui L, Young SG, Schwabe JWR, Tontonoz P. Aster-B-dependent estradiol synthesis protects female mice from diet-induced obesity. J Clin Invest. 2024 Jan 4;134(4):e173002. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI173002; PMID: 38175723; PMCID: PMC10866650.
Xiao X, Kennelly JP, Ferrari A, Clifford B, Whang E, Gao Y, Qian K, Sandhu J, Jarrett KE, Brearley-Sholto MC, Nguyen A, Nagari RT, Lee SM, Zhang S, Weston TA, Young SG, Bensinger SJ, Villanueva CJ, Vallim TA, Tontonoz P. Hepatic nonvesicular cholesterol transport is critical for systemic lipid homeostasis. Nat Metab. 2023;5:165-181. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-022-00722-6; PMID: 36646756; PMCID: PMC9995220.