Xiaomin Bao Associate Professor

Research Summary:

The Bao Laboratory strives to elucidate the genomic regulatory mechanisms modulating human adult stem cell maintenance, differentiation, and tissue regeneration. We leverage human skin as the primary research platform, which integrates rapid genetic characterizations with high-throughput genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches.The long-term goal of our group is to elucidate the principles underlying normal tissue homeostasis, generating therapeutic insights into diseases such as cancer. ​

Selected Publications:

CDK9 activity switch associated with AFF1 and HEXIM1 controls differentiation initiation from epidermal progenitors. Lloyd SM, Leon DB, Brady MO, Rodriguez D, McReynolds MP, Kweon J, Neely AE, Blumensaadt LA, Ho PJ, Bao X. Nat Commun. 2022 July 29;13(1):4408. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-32098-2. PMID: 35906225; PMCID: PMC9338292.

Epidermal progenitors suppress GRHL3-mediated differentiation through intronic polyadenylation promoted by CPSF-HNRNPA3 collaboration. Chen X, Lloyd SM, Kweon J, Gamalong GM, Bao X. Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 19;12(1):448. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20674-3. PMID: 33469008; PMCID: PMC7815847.

CSNK1a1 Regulates PRMT1 to Maintain the Progenitor State in Self-Renewing Somatic Tissue. Bao X, Siprashvili Z, Zarnegar BJ, Shenoy RM, Rios EJ, Nady N, Qu K, Mah A, Webster DE, Rubin AJ, Wozniak GG, Tao S, Wysocka J, Khavari PA. Dev Cell. 2017 October 23;43(2):227-239.e5.

A novel ATAC-seq approach reveals lineage-specific reinforcement of the open chromatin landscape via cooperation between BAF and p63. Bao X, Rubin AJ, Qu K, Zhang J, Giresi PG, Chang HY, and Khavari PA. Genome Biology. 2015 December 18;16(1):284.

ACTL6a Enforces the Epidermal Progenitor State by Suppressing SWI/SNF-Dependent Induction of KLF4. Bao X, Tang J, Lopez-Pajares V, Tao S, Qu K, Crabtree GR, and Khavari PA. Cell Stem Cell. 2013 February 7;12(2):193-203.

Selected Honors:

Slivka Fellow (selected by Northwestern students), 2023

Faculty Honor Roll, Office of Undergraduate Research, Northwestern University, 2022

American Cancer Society (ACS) Research Scholar Award, 2021

Northwestern University Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS) Pilot Award, 2020

Society of Investigative Dermatology (SID)/European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) Young Investigator Collegiality Award, 2019

European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) Travel Award, 2019

Basic Insight Award, Northwestern University, 2019

Skin Disease Research Center Pilot and Feasibility Award, Northwestern University, 2017

Cancer Center CEND Program Leader Supplemental Award, 2017

NIH Pathway to Independence Award (R00 phase), 2016

NIH/NIAMS K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, 2014

Albert M. Kligman Travel Fellowship Award,  2014

NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Fellowship,  2011

Dean's Fellowship, Stanford University,  2008