Dr. Xuyu Qian’s research focuses on understanding the development and diseases of the human cerebral cortex. As the most evolutionarily advanced brain region, the cortex is central to cognitive function yet highly susceptible to developmental disorders. Conventional animal and cell culture models often fall short in capturing the unique features of human cortical development, limiting insights into human-specific diseases. To address this, Dr. Qian has developed a research program centered on three human-based strategies: (1) brain organoid models, (2) spatial omics technologies, and (3) human genetics.

He earned his PhD at Johns Hopkins University, where he pioneered the use of human pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids to model neurodevelopmental disorders. As a postdoctoral fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital, he integrated human genetics with organoid systems to identify and characterize novel disease-associated genes and leveraged single-cell spatial transcriptomics to directly analyze human brain tissue, revealing key principles of cortical arealization.

His ongoing research focuses on the mechanisms underlying area-specific neuronal subtype specification using spatial omics analysis and advanced organoid models. These studies will lay the groundwork for medium- and long-term investigations into the pathology and etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as malformations of cortical development (MCD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with the ultimate goal of uncovering disrupted developmental programs and informing therapeutic strategies.

Notable achievements

• Decoding human cortical development using spatial transcriptomics
• Development of brain organoid technologies
• Study of novel genes and their variants involved in brain development and disorders
• Mechanisms underlying Congenital Zika Syndrome

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Boston Children's Hospital, Howard Hughes Medical Center, 2020-2025

PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Biomedical Engineering), 2020

BS, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Biomedical Engineering), 2013

Member, Center for Brain Research in Development, Genetics, and Engineering

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Society for Neuroscience, 2014-

International Society for Stem Cell Research, 2017-

Krieg Cortical Kudos Award, The Cajal Club, 2024

P-SPINE Fellow, University of Pennsylvania, 2024

Rising Star in Engineering Health, Cornell University, 2023

Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science, Class of 2022, Forbes Magazine, 2021

Helen Hay Whitney Postdoc Fellowship, The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation & The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 2021-2024

Research in Brain Diseases Award, The Foundation of the University of Zurich, 2020

Simons Postdoc Fellowship, Simons Center for the Social Brain , 2020-2021

Bae Gyo Jung Young Investigator Award, Johns Hopkins University, 2017

Development of Distinct Areas in the Human Cerebral Cortex
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award
2024-2029
The proposed research combines spatial transcriptomics and organoid technologies to investigate the genetic programs that regulate the development of specialized areas within the human cerebral cortex.
PI: Xuyu Qian

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