Xi-Long Zheng

Dr. Xi-Long Zheng

Ph.D.

Positions

Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology

Member

Libin Cardiovascular Institute

Associate Member

The Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases

Associate Member

Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute

Contact information

Web presence

Phone number

Office: 403.220.8715

Location

Office: HRICGAA12

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Kelly Johnston
Senior Communications Specialist

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Preferred method of communication

Admin Assistant

Lilibeth Alcantara

Email: lalcanta@ucalgary.ca

Office: 403.210.7102

Background

Educational Background

Doctor of Medicine Hunan Medical University, 1986

Doctor of Philosophy Pharmacology, University of Calgary, 1997

M.S. Pharmacology, Hunan Medical University, 1989

Biography

Dr. Zheng is a tenured professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. He obtained an M.D. and an M.Sc. from Hunan Medical University (Central South University) in China in 1986 and 1989, respectively, and a Ph.D. from the University of Calgary in 1997. He subsequently undertook postdoctoral training at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of Calgary and a faculty position at the latter institution.

Dr. Zheng has received numerous awards, including the Alberta Innovates ‒ Health Solutions (AIHS) Senior Scholar Award (2008 ‒ 2015), the New Investigator Award of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada (2001 ‒ 2006), the Scholarship Award of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research & Hypertension Society of Canada (2001 ‒ 2004), and the Fellowship Award of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada & AstraZeneca Pharma/MRC/PMAC (1999 ‒ 2001).

He has served on grant panels for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC) grant panel V. He serves on editorial boards for several journals, including the Biochemical Journal.

Research

Areas of Research

Area of Focus
  • Vascular smooth muscle dedifferentiation and disease
Summary of Research

Dr. Zheng’s research involves the investigation of mechanisms underlying differentiation and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro and in vivo, and how smooth muscle de-differentiation contributes to vascular disease. The laboratory has made advances in the field of regulation of smooth muscle differentiation and the cell cycle. Dr. Zheng has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, many of which appear in high-ranking journals, including PNAS, ATVB, Diabetologia, JBC and Hypertension.

Courses

Course number Course title Semester
MDSC 72201 LEC 01 01 Vascular Biology 2021

Projects

Characterization of smooth muscle PCSK9 in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (CIHR)

Role of smooth muscle autophagy in aging-associated vascular stiffness (CIHR)

Epigenetic regulation of smooth muscle cell phenotype plasticity (NSERC)

Awards

  • New Investigator Award, Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada. 2001
  • Scholarship Award, Canadian Institutes of Health Research & Hypertension Society of Canada. 2001
  • AHFMR Independent Investigator Award (Senior Scholar), 2008

Publications