Kelei Cao Ph.D

Academic homepage：Google Scholar

Email: keleicao@sjtu.edu.cn

Phone：18360866896

Research Interests:

•      Neuroimmune Regulation and brain disease

•      Neuro-immunemetabolism

•      The Regulatory Mechanisms of Microglia in Sleep and Anesthesia

Education and Work Experience:

•      August 2024 - Present: Assistant Researcher, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

•      July 2022 - July 2024: Postdoctoral Fellow in Neurobiology, Zhejiang University. Supervisors: Shumin Duan, Zhihua Gao

•      September 2018 - June 2022: Ph.D. in Neurobiology, Zhejiang University. Supervisors: Shumin Duan, Zhihua Gao

•      September 2015 - June 2018: Master in Medical Immunology, Nanjing Medical University.Supervisor: Hong Zhou

•      September 2011 - June 2015: Bachelor in Life Sciences, Bengbu Medical College

Publication

1.    Kelei Cao#, Liyao Qiu#, Xuan Lu, Weiying Wu, Yaling Hu, Zhicheng Cui, Chao Jiang, Yuxiang Luo, Yujin Shao, Wang Xi, Ling-Hui Zeng, Han Xu, Huan Ma, Zhi Zhang, Jiyun Peng, Shumin Duan*, Zhihua Gao*. Microglia modulate general anesthesia through P2Y12 receptor. Current Biology. 2023 May 6: S0960-9822(23)00529-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.047. (Commented by Science, and highlighted by Lab Animals).

2.    Yaling Hu#; Kelei Cao# (共同一作); Fang Wang#; Weiying Wu; Weihao Mai; Liyao Qiu; Yuxiang Luo; Wooping Ge; Binggui Sun; Ligen Shi; Junming Zhu; Jianmin Zhang; Zhiying Wu; Yicheng Xie; Shumin Duan*; Zhihua Gao*. Dual roles of hexokinase 2 in shaping microglial function by gating glycolytic flux and mitochondrial activity. Nature Metabolism. 2022, 4(12): 1756-1774. doi: 10.1038/s42255-022-00707-5. (Highlighted by Molecular Cell).

3.    Kelei Cao#; Liao Xiang; Jiahui Lu; Shu Yao; Fengjiao Wu; Xingxing Zhu; Dongyan Shi; Shuang Wen; Lixin Liu; Hong Zhou. IL-33/ST2 plays a critical role in endothelial cell activation and microglia-mediated neuroinflammation modulation. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 2018, 15(1). doi: 10.1186/s12974-018-1169-6.

4.    Kelei Cao#, Yaling Hu, Zhihua Gao. Sense to Tune: Engaging Microglia with Dynamic Neuronal Activity. Neuroscience Bulletin. 2023 Mar;39(3):553-556. doi: 10.1007/s12264- 022-01010-9.

5.    Kelei Cao#, Yaling Hu, Zhihua Gao. Brain Macrophages: Close or Distant Relatives? Neuroscience Bulletin. 2021 Feb;37(2):278-280. doi: 10.1007/s12264-020-00595-3.

Research Grants:

•      The 9th China Association for Science and Technology “Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST” (2024-2026).

•      Project supported by the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (2024-2026).

•      Project supported by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation Exploration Project (2024-2026);

•      Project supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2022-2024).

Awards:

•      August 2024: Japan Neuroscience Society Travel Award;

•      November 2023: Excellence Award from the Young Doctoral Forum of MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration

•      September 2023: YRD region Neuroscience Youth Forum Outstanding Postdoctoral Award