Li Jasmine Xiao, PhD
Dr. Xiao’s research addresses key challenges in musculoskeletal health using advanced technologies from biomedical engineering, molecular imaging, nanomedicine, and regenerative medicine. During her Ph.D., she contributed to non-invasive imaging techniques for inflammation and cancer diagnostics, co-inventing an FPR1-targeting peptide now widely used in biomedical research. She also co-developed a cancer-targeting theranostic agent currently in phase I and II clinical trials. In her professional work, Dr. Xiao developed a microfluidic “disc-on-a-chip” platform for studying intervertebral disc degeneration, targeted nanomedicines for lumbar radiculopathy, and a smart sensor microneedle system for pain management. At UVa Ortho, she now collaborates with multidisciplinary experts to advance the understanding and treatment of various musculoskeletal diseases, such as low back pain, osteoarthritis, and intervertebral disc degeneration.
Dr. Xiao has served as the Principal Investigator for a competitive grant from the North American Spine Society (NASS) and as a key research scientist on multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed original research articles in leading journals, including ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, Advanced Materials Technologies, Advanced Healthcare Materials, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, The Spine Journal, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, Molecular Pharmaceutics, Molecular Imaging, Bioconjugate Chemistry, Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Molecular Imaging and Biology, and European Cells and Materials. Dr. Xiao has also authored over 30 international conference abstracts and proceedings and has presented at more than 20 prominent events, including the annual meetings of the Orthopaedic Research Society, World Molecular Imaging Congress, and MicroTAS. Her work has received over 800 citations, with an h-index of 18 and an i10-index of 20, as of Nov 2024.
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FDdqayMAAAAJ&hl=en
Dr. Xiao has received several honors for her research, including the New Investigator Recognition Award from the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) and a travel award from the International Federation of Musculoskeletal Research Societies. She actively contributes to professional service as a judge for the ORS Spine Section Awards, a member of the ORS Spine Section Membership Committee, and a participant in faculty hiring committees at her university. Her work has been highlighted in professional media, including the NASS Insider e-newsletter and ORS Connect. Dr. Xiao serves as a Guest Editor for Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology and as a manuscript reviewer for leading journals such as Molecular Pharmaceutics, Acta Biomaterialia, and Communications Biology.
Dedicated to mentorship, she has guided over 20 students and junior researchers, many of whom have co-authored publications and advanced in their fields. Dr. Xiao holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals with distinction from the University of Virginia’s McIntire Business Institute, providing her with essential business skills to advance her goal of translating research from “bench to bedside.”
For more information about Dr. Xiao’s credentials, please visit her LinkedIn website below:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminexiao/
Appointments
Assistant Professor of Research
Education
- B.S. Pharmaceutical Science, Tianjin University (China), 2006
- Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Virginia, 2012
Contact
Email: lx4c@virginia.edu