We’re incredibly proud to announce that Xinqian, a recent graduate of our Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology Program, has been nominated for the CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award! This nomination is a powerful testament to their exceptional research and significant contributions.
Xinqian states “It is a great honor to be nominated for the 2025 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award, and I sincerely appreciate this opportunity.
My passion for life sciences, especially research related to human diseases, has guided my academic journey from the beginning. After completing my undergraduate degree at Shenzhen University, I came here to pursue both my master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Integrative Physiology. Under the mentorship of Dr. Zhiying Shan, I focused my doctoral research on understanding the role of brain-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in salt-sensitive hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
My dissertation, titled Exploring the Role of Brain-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension, investigates how EVs contribute to hypertension through their effects on the brain hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). I demonstrated that EVs from hypertensive rats induce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in primary neuronal cultures and in the PVN of healthy animals. Furthermore, I found that administering these EVs into the brain, in combination with high salt intake, caused persistent elevation in blood pressure and disrupted PVN function. To address this, I engineered EVs loaded with siRNA targeting the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), which effectively reversed the hypertensive effects and reduced mitochondrial oxidative stress.
This work not only revealed a novel mechanism of hypertension pathogenesis but also presented a potential therapeutic approach using EV-based targeted delivery systems. I’m proud that my research offer insight into both disease mechanisms and translational strategies.
I am deeply honored by this recognition and remain committed to advancing biomedical science through curiosity-driven and impactful research, as I continue my postdoctoral work exploring the therapeutic potential of EVs.”