Research interests include the early embryonic development and stem cell biology.

1. The effect of space environment (microgravity, radiation, hypomagnetic, etc.) on mammalian embryonic development, as well as investigating their relative molecular mechanism;

2. Study on the effect of maternal growth, nutritional metabolism and molecular regulatory signals in early embryonic development, pregnancy outcome and offspring health.

3.  Proliferation, Differentiation and Metabolism of Stem Cells in Microgravity Environment (including spaceflight).

2005-2008, M.S. in Veterinary medicine, Northwest A&F University (Supervisor: Prof. Ma Baohua)

2014-2018, Ph.D.in Physiology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, (Supervisor: Prof. Xia Guoliang)

​

2008-2019, Scientific Researcher in Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences 

 (Engineer, senior engineer, Group leader: Prof. Duan Enkui)

2020.9.22-- 2025.1.22, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Associate professor, PI)

2025.1.23-- till now,  Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Professor, PI)

2008-2019, Scientific Researcher in Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Engineer, Senior engineer)

2020.9-- 2025.1, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Associate professor, PI)

2025.1-- till now,  Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Professor, PI)

Selected publications in recent 5 years (First author and Correspondence author)

1.      Lei X^1*, Cao Y¹, Ma B¹, Zhang Y, Ning L, Qian J, Zhang L, Qu Y, Zhang T, Li D, Chen Q, Shi J, Zhang X, Zhang Y^*, Duan E^*. Development of mouse preimplantation embryos in space. National Science Review, 2020, nwaa062, https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaa062. (IF=23.18) First author and correspondence author（cover story，highlight and commentary by NSR）

2.      Chen K, Feng X，Yang C, Ma C, Niu S, Jia L, Yang X, Liang J, Bo Y, Geng K, Li Q, Zhang H^*，Lei X^*, Zhang Y^*. Simulated microgravity reduces quality of ovarian follicles and oocytes by disrupting communications of follicle cells. npj Microgravity, 2023, 9:7. (IF=5.1) correspondence author

3.      Xiong Y, Ma C, Li Q, Zhang W, Zhao H, Ren P, Zhang K*, Lei X*. Melatonin ameliorates simulated-microgravity-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and lipid metabolism dysregulation in hepatocytes. The FASEB Journal, 2023, 37(9): e23132. (IF=5.2) correspondence author

4.      Zhang W^#, Zhang J^#, Cui Y, Zhao Y^*, Lei X^*. Stem Cells and Exosome Applications for Cutaneous Wound Healing: From Ground to Microgravity Environment. Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, 2023, (In press). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-023-10571-9 (IF=4.8) correspondence author

5.      Li R, Ma C, Xiong Y, Zhao H, Yang Y, Xue L, Wang B, Xiao T, Chen J, Lei X^*, Ma B^*, Zhang J^*. An Antagonistic Peptide of Gpr1 Ameliorates LPS-Induced Depression through the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis. Biomolecules. 2021, 11(6), 857. (IF=6.06) correspondence author

6.      Ma C, Duan X^*, Lei X^*. 3D cell culture model: From ground experiment to microgravity study. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol, 2023, 11:1136583. (IF=5.7) correspondence author

7.      Ma C^#, Xiong Y^#, Han P, Zhang X, Cao Y, Wang B, Zhao H, Duan E, Zhang J^*; Lei, X^*. Simulated Microgravity Potentiates Hematopoietic Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells and Supports Formation of 3D Hematopoietic Cluster. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2022, 9(797060) (IF=6.08) correspondence author

8.      Ma C^#, Liu K^#, Li Q, Xiong Y, Xu C, Zhang W, Ruan C, Li X^*, Lei X^*. Synthetic Extracellular Matrices for 3D Culture of Schwann Cells, Hepatocytes, and HUVECs. Bioengineering, 2022, 9(9), 453. (IF=5.04) correspondence author

9.      Lin J^#, Li Q^#, Lei X*, Zhao H*. The emerging roles of GPR158 in the regulation of the endocrine system. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2022, 10(1034348) (IF=6.08) correspondence author

10.   Lei X*; Zhang W, Zhang Y, Zhao L. Editorial: The Regulating Mechanisms of Development, Growth, and Metabolism: From Ground to Space. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2022, 10(951741) (IF=6.08) correspondence author

11.   Liang D, Ning M, Xie H, HE X, Ren P*, Lei X*，Zhang X*. Radiotherapy Side Effects: Comprehensive Proteomic Study Unraveled Neural Stem Cell Degenerative Differentiation upon Ionizing Radiation. Biomolecules, 2022, 12(12), 1759. (IF=6.06) correspondence author

12.   Li F, Ye Y, Lei X^*, Zhang W^*. Effects of Microgravity on Early Embryonic Development and Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation: Phenotypic Characterization and Potential Mechanisms. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2021, 9(797167) (IF=6.08) correspondence author

13.   Dai Z¹, Lei X¹, Yang C, Zhao L, Lu L, Li Y^*. Systematic biomedical research of the NASA Twins Study facilitates the hazard risk assessment of long-term spaceflight missions. Protein Cell. 2019, In press. (IF=15.32) Co-first author

14.   Zhao L, He X, Shang Y, Bao C, Peng A, Lei X*，Han P, Mi D*, Sun Y*. Identification of potential radiation-responsive biomarkers based on human orthologous genes with possible roles in DNA repair pathways by comparison between Arabidopsis thaliana and homo sapiens. Science of The Total Environment. 2020, 702:135076. (IF=10.75) correspondence author 

15.   Lei X*，Yang Y，Ma C，Duan E. Induction of differentiation of human stem cells ex vivo: Toward large-scale platelet production. World J Stem Cells. 2019;11(9):666-676. (IF=5.25) First author and correspondence author

16.   Zhao L, Bao C, Shang Y, He X, Ma C, Lei X*, Mi D, Sun Y*. The determinant of DNA repair pathway 1 choices in ionising radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks. Biomed Res Int 2020, (Online) (IF=3.25) correspondence author 

17.   Lei X, Cao Y, Zhang Y, Qian J, Zhao Q, Liu F, Zhang T, Zhou J, Gu Y, Xia G^*, Duan E^*. Effect of microgravity on proliferation and differentiation of embryonic stem cells. Cell Proliferation. 2018，51(5): e12466. (IF=8.75) （Cover story）

Selected Co-author SCI Articles in recent 5 years

1.      Wen Q, Zhou J, Tian C, Li X, Song G, Gao Y，Sun Y, Ma C, Yao S, Liang X, Kang X, Wang N, Yao Yuan, Wang H, Liang X, Tang J, Offer S, Lei X, Yu C, Liu X, Liu Z, Wang Z, Gan H*. et al. Symmetric inheritance of parental histones contributes to safeguarding the fate of mouse embryonic stem cells during differentiation. Nature Genet. 2023, 55, 1555–1566. (IF=37.4/ 5-Year)

2.      Chen X, Ji Y, Cheng Y, Hao Y, Lei X, Song G, Qu Y, Lei F^*. Comparison between short-term stress and long-term adaptive responses reveal common paths to molecular adaptation.  iScience. 2022, 25(3):103899. (IF=5.8/ 5-Year)

3.      Qu Y¹, Chen Q¹, Guo S¹, Ma C, Lu Y, Shi J, Liu S, Zhou T, Noda T, Qian J, Zhang L, Zhu X, Lei X, Cao Y, Li W, Li W, Plachta N, Matzuc M, Ikawa M, Duan E^*, Zhang Y^*, Wang H^*. Cooperation-based sperm clusters mediate sperm oviduct entry and fertilization. Protein Cell. 2021, 10:810-817. (IF=16.7/ 5-Year)

4.      Xu C¹, Huang X¹, Lei X, Jin Z, Wu M, Liu X, Huang Y, Zhao X, Xiong Y, Sun J, Duan X, Wang J^*. Costunolide-Induced Apoptosis via Promoting the Reactive Oxygen Species and Inhibiting AKT/GSK3β Pathway and Activating Autophagy in Gastric Cancer. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2021, 9:722734. (IF=6.57) 

5.      Zhang Y¹, Zhang X¹, Shi J¹, Tuorto F¹, Li X¹, Liu Y, Liebers R, Zhang L, Qu Y, Qian J, Pahima M, Liu Y, Yan M, Cao Z, Lei X, Cao Y, Peng H, Liu S, Wang Y, Zheng H, Woolsey R, Quilici D, Zhai Q, Li L, Zhou T, Yan W, Lyko F, Zhang Y^*, Zhou Q^*, Duan E^*, Chen Q^*. Dnmt2 mediates intergenerational transmission of paternally acquired metabolic disorders through sperm small non-coding RNAs. Nature Cell Biology. 2018, 20 (5): 535-540. (IF=26.6/5-Year)

6.      Zhang S, Chen T, Chen N, Gao D, Shi B, Kong S, West R, Yuan Y, Zhi M, Wei Q, Xiang J, Mu H, Yue L, Lei X, Wang X, Zhong L, Liang H, Cao S, Belmonte J, Wang H, Han J*. Implantation initiation of self-assembled embryolike structures generated using three types of mouse blastocyst-derived stem cells. Nature Communications. 2019.10(1):496. (IF=13.691/ 5-Year)

7.      Zhao Q, Li N, Zhang H, Lei X, Cao Y, Xia G, Duan E*, Liu S*. Chemically induced transformation of human dermal fibroblasts to hair-inducing dermal papilla like cells. Cell Proliferation. 2019;52(5):e12652. (IF=7.8/5-Year)

8.      Chen X, Qiu Y, Chen Y, Wang J, Lei X, Song G, Zhang H, Wang H, Lei F*. MiR-19b-3p Regulates MAPK1 Expression in Embryonic Fibroblasts from the Great Tit (Parus Major) Under Hypoxic Conditions. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2018, 46:546-560. (IF=4.35/5-Year)

Applied 5 patents  and 2 have been authorized. Among them, 2 patents related to stem cells,

1 for embryo culture). 

1. The effect of space environment (microgravity, radiation, hypomagnetic, etc.) on mammalian embryonic development, as well as investigating their relative molecular mechanism;

2. Study on the effect of maternal growth, nutritional metabolism and molecular regulatory signals in early embryonic development, pregnancy outcome and offspring health.

3.   Proliferation, Differentiation and Metabolism of Stem Cells in Microgravity Environment (including spaceflight).

现指导学生

魏延邦  博士研究生  071010-生物化学与分子生物学  

张耀  硕士研究生  086000-生物与医药  

杨雨馨  硕士研究生  085600-材料与化工  

“Key Technology Talent” of CAS, 2018

New leaders in Space Science of CAS and National Academy Sciences in USA, 2016

Shenzhen high-level talents (Reserve Talents), 2020

Research position specifically appointed at the Chinese Academy of Sciences，2022

Member of the Chinese Space Life Professional Committee (2017-2022, 2022-2027)

Member of workgroup of China National Standardization Technical Committee for Space Science and Utilization (2016-)

Evaluation Expert of Space Science and Utilization system in Chinses Manned Space Station (2018-)