Chunyu Cai, M.D., Ph.D.

Pathology
Neuropathology

Biography

Chunyu Cai, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in neuropathology, including the diagnosis of brain and spinal cord biopsies, muscle and nerve biopsies, and brain autopsies.

Dr. Cai earned his doctoral degree in developmental biology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and his medical degree at Peking University Health Science Center in Beijing, China. He completed a residency in anatomic pathology and fellowships in neuropathology and surgical pathology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic pathology and neuropathology, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2015.

He is Associate Program Director for the Neuropathology Fellowship Program and Director of the Neuromuscular Pathology Service at UT Southwestern.

Dr. Cai’s research focuses on neuromuscular diseases and brain tumors. He has delivered national and regional invited lectures, edited and contributed to the book A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology, and published numerous academic articles related to his areas of expertise.

He is a member of the American Association of Neuropathologists, including its Educational Committee. He serves as Associate Editor for Laboratory Investigation and Deputy Editor for Neuropathology for PathologyOutlines.com. He’s also on the editorial board of the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology.

Personal Note

When he’s not at work, Dr. Cai enjoys watching his son’s soccer games and his daughter’s volleyball games.

Education & Training

Other Post Graduate Training - Wesleyan University (2002-2008)
Postdoctoral Fellowship - University of Connecticut Health Center (2008-2010), Neuroscience
Medical School - Beijing Medical University, China (1996-2001)
Graduate School - Wesleyan University (2002-2008), Biology
Residency - Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine (2010-2014), Anatomic/neuropathology
Fellowship - Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine (2014-2015), Surgical Pathology

Professional Associations & Affiliations

American Association of Neuropathologists
Chinese American Pathologists Association
College of American Pathologists
Texas Medical Association
United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

Honors & Awards

Richard Davis Award 2020, American Association of Neuropathologists
LEAD (Leadership Emerging in Academic Departments) Program 2018, Office of Faculty Diversity & Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Books & Publications

Books
- A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Zhou L, Burns DK, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Peripheral nerve biopsy evaluation in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Cai C (2020), Springer
- Anti-synthetase syndrome in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Zhou L, Shin SC, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Inclusion body myositis in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Zhou L, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Zhou L, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Abhyankar R, Cai C, Trivedi Jr (2020), Springer
- Mitochondrial myopathy in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Zhou L, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Myofibrillar myopathy in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Zhou L, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Central core disease in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Ghosh PS, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Vasculitic neuropathy in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Khan S, Cai C (2020), Springer
- Macrophagic myofascitis in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Castro DP, Cai C, Paul DJ (2020), Springer
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Castro DP, Cai C, Paul DJ (2020), Springer
- Pompe disease in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Castro DP, Cai C, Paul DJ (2020), Springer
- Spinal muscular atrophy type 1 in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Castro DP, Cai C, Paul DJ (2020), Springer
- Amyloid neuropathy in A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology
  Elliott JL, Zhou L, Cai C, Kaku MA (2020), Springer
Publications
- What's new in neuromuscular pathology 2022: myopathy updates and gene therapies.
  Cai C, Journal of pathology and translational medicine 2023 Jan 57 1 79-80
- A Mitofusin 2 - Hif1a axis sets a maturation checkpoint in regenerating skeletal muscle.
  Wang X, Jia Y, Zhao J, Lesner NP, Menezes CJ, Shelton SD, Venigalla SSK, Xu J, Cai C, Mishra P, The Journal of clinical investigation 2022 Sep
- Epigenetic and genomic profiling of chordoid meningioma: implications for clinical management.
  Daoud EV, Zhu K, Mickey B, Mohamed H, Wen M, Delorenzo M, Tran I, Serrano J, Hatanpaa KJ, Raisanen JM, Snuderl M, Cai C, Acta neuropathologica communications 2022 Apr 10 1 56
- Biallelic variants in TAMM41 are associated with low muscle cardiolipin levels, leading to neonatal mitochondrial disease.
  Thompson K, Bianchi L, Rastelli F, Piron-Prunier F, Ayciriex S, Besmond C, Hubert L, Barth M, Barbosa IA, Deshpande C, Chitre M, Mehta SG, Wever EJM, Marcorelles P, Donkervoort S, Saade D, Bönnemann CG, Chao KR, Cai C, Iannaccone ST, Dean AF, McFarland R, Vaz FM, Delahodde A, Taylor RW, Rötig A, HGG advances 2022 Apr 3 2 100097
- The efficacy of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of molecular genetic alterations in central nervous system gliomas: Next-generation sequencing of 212 mutations in 112 patients.
  Daoud EV, Chkheidze R, Yell PC, Hatanpaa KJ, Raisanen JM, Cai C, Clinical neuropathology 2021 Oct
- SWI/SNF deficient central nervous system neoplasms.
  Cai C, Seminars in diagnostic pathology 2021 May 38 3 167-174
- Preoperative imaging of glioblastoma patients using hyperpolarized ¹³C pyruvate: Potential role in clinical decision making.
  Chen J, Patel TR, Pinho MC, Choi C, Harrison CE, Baxter JD, Derner K, Pena S, Liticker J, Raza J, Hall RG, Reed GD, Cai C, Hatanpaa KJ, Bankson JA, Bachoo RM, Malloy CR, Mickey BE, Park JM, Neuro-oncology advances 2021 Jan-Dec 3 1 vdab092
- The nuclear envelope protein Net39 is essential for muscle nuclear integrity and chromatin organization.
  Ramirez-Martinez A, Zhang Y, Chen K, Kim J, Cenik BK, McAnally JR, Cai C, Shelton JM, Huang J, Brennan A, Evers BM, Mammen PPA, Xu L, Bassel-Duby R, Liu N, Olson EN, Nature communications 2021 01 12 1 690
- Biallelic loss of function variants in SYT2 cause a treatable congenital onset presynaptic myasthenic syndrome.
  Donkervoort S, Mohassel P, Laugwitz L, Zaki MS, Kamsteeg EJ, Maroofian R, Chao KR, Verschuuren-Bemelmans CC, Horber V, Fock AJM, McCarty RM, Jain MS, Biancavilla V, McMacken G, Nalls M, Voermans NC, Elbendary HM, Snyder M, Cai C, Lehky TJ, Stanley V, Iannaccone ST, Foley AR, Lochmüller H, Gleeson J, Houlden H, Haack TB, Horvath R, Bönnemann CG, American journal of medical genetics. Part A 2020 Aug
- Distinct tissue injury patterns in juvenile dermatomyositis auto-antibody subgroups.
  Nguyen M, Do V, Yell PC, Jo C, Liu J, Burns DK, Wright T, Cai C, Acta neuropathologica communications 2020 Aug 8 1 125
- Multi-Site Optical Monitoring of Spinal Cord Ischemia During Spine Distraction.
  Busch D, Lin W, Cai C, Cutrone AM, Tatka J, Kovarovic BJ, Yodh AG, Floyd TF, Barsi J, Journal of neurotrauma 2020 May
- Utility of copy number variants in the classification of intracranial ependymoma.
  Evenson M, Cai C, Hucthagowder V, McNulty S, Neidich J, Kulkarni S, Dahiya S, Cancer genetics 2020 01 240 66-72
- Role of Nerve and Muscle Biopsies in Pediatric Patients in the Era of Genetic Testing.
  Yang K, Iannaccone S, Burkhalter LS, Reisch J, Cai C, Schindel D, The Journal of surgical research 2019 11 243 27-32
- Long non-coding RNAs mortal obligate RNA transcript regulates the proliferation of human periodontal ligament stem cells and affects the recurrence of periodontitis.
  Wang Y, Sun Y, Zheng P, Cai C, Jiang Y, Zhang H, Li Z, Cai Q, Archives of oral biology 2019 Sep 105 1-4
- Distinct Expression Patterns of Carbonic Anhydrase IX in Clear Cell, Microcystic, and Angiomatous Meningiomas.
  Chkheidze R, Cimino PJ, Hatanpaa KJ, White CL, Ferreira M, Piccirillo SGM, Li L, Rajaram S, Nyagilo JO, Burns DK, Raisanen JM, Cai C, Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology 2019 Sep
- Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor with an Enlarging Heterogeneously Enhancing Organizing Hematoma.
  El Ahmadieh TY, Cai C, Mickey BE, World neurosurgery 2019 Aug
- A pattern-based approach to the interpretation of skeletal muscle biopsies.
  Cai C, Anthony DC, Pytel P Modern pathology : an official journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc 2018 Nov
- The immune-related microRNA miR-146b is upregulated in glioblastoma recurrence.
  Khwaja SS, Cai C, Badiyan SN, Wang X, Huang J Oncotarget 2018 Jun 9 49 29036-29046
- Adult Brainstem Gliomas With H3K27M Mutation: Radiology, Pathology, and Prognosis.
  Daoud EV, Rajaram V, Cai C, Oberle RJ, Martin GR, Raisanen JM, White CL, Foong C, Mickey BE, Pan E, Hatanpaa KJ Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology 2018 Feb
- Diffuse microvascular C5b-9 deposition is a common feature in muscle and nerve biopsies from diabetic patients.
  Yell PC, Burns DK, Dittmar EG, White CL, Cai C Acta neuropathologica communications 2018 Feb 6 1 11
- Rapid progression to glioblastoma in a subset of IDH-mutated astrocytomas: a genome-wide analysis.
  Richardson TE, Snuderl M, Serrano J, Karajannis MA, Heguy A, Oliver D, Raisanen JM, Maher EA, Pan E, Barnett S, Cai C, Habib AA, Bachoo RM, Hatanpaa KJ Journal of neuro-oncology 2017 Apr
- Morin Stain Detects Aluminum-Containing Macrophages in Macrophagic Myofasciitis and Vaccination Granuloma With High Sensitivity and Specificity.
  Chkheidze R, Burns DK, White CL, Castro D, Fuller J, Cai C Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology 2017 Mar
- Unusual skull tumors with psammomatoid bodies: a diagnostic challenge.
  Richardson TE, Georgescu MM, Kapur P, Hwang H, Barnett SL, Raisanen JM, Cai C, Hatanpaa KJ Clinical neuropathology 2017 Jan
- Radiation Therapy for Residual or Recurrent Atypical Meningioma: The Effects of Modality, Timing, and Tumor Pathology on Long-Term Outcomes.
  Sun SQ, Cai C, Murphy RK, DeWees T, Dacey RG, Grubb RL, Rich KM, Zipfel GJ, Dowling JL, Leuthardt EC, Simpson JR, Robinson CG, Chicoine MR, Perrin RJ, Huang J, Kim AH Neurosurgery 2015 Nov
- Simpson Grade I-III Resection of Spinal Atypical (World Health Organization Grade II) Meningiomas is Associated With Symptom Resolution and Low Recurrence.
  Sun SQ, Cai C, Ravindra VM, Gamble P, Yarbrough CK, Dacey RG, Dowling JL, Zipfel GJ, Wright NM, Santiago P, Robinson CG, Schmidt MH, Kim AH, Ray WZ Neurosurgery 2015 Jun 76 6 739-46
- Posterior fossa tumor with distinct choroid plexus papilloma and ependymoma components.
  Cai C, Stephens BH, Leonard JR, Dahiya S Clinical neuropathology 2015 May 34 3 132-5
- Regional ischemic immune myopathy: a paraneoplastic dermatomyopathy.
  Cai C, Alshehri A, Choksi R, Pestronk A Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology 2014 Dec 73 12 1126-33
- Management of atypical cranial meningiomas, part 2: predictors of progression and the role of adjuvant radiation after subtotal resection.
  Sun SQ, Cai C, Murphy RK, DeWees T, Dacey RG, Grubb RL, Rich KM, Zipfel GJ, Dowling JL, Leuthardt EC, Leonard JR, Evans J, Simpson JR, Robinson CG, Perrin RJ, Huang J, Chicoine MR, Kim AH Neurosurgery 2014 Oct 75 4 356-63; discussion 363
- Management of atypical cranial meningiomas, part 1: predictors of recurrence and the role of adjuvant radiation after gross total resection.
  Sun SQ, Kim AH, Cai C, Murphy RK, DeWees T, Sylvester P, Dacey RG, Grubb RL, Rich KM, Zipfel GJ, Dowling JL, Leuthardt EC, Leonard JR, Evans J, Simpson JR, Robinson CG, Perrin RJ, Huang J, Chicoine MR Neurosurgery 2014 Oct 75 4 347-54; discussion 354-5; quiz 355
- Fatal human herpesvirus 6-associated encephalitis in two boys with underlying POLG mitochondrial disorders.
  Al-Zubeidi D, Thangarajh M, Pathak S, Cai C, Schlaggar BL, Storch GA, Grange DK, Watson ME Pediatric neurology 2014 Sep 51 3 448-52
- Keratinizing-type squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx: p16 overexpression is associated with positive high-risk HPV status and improved survival.
  Cai C, Chernock RD, Pittman ME, El-Mofty SK, Thorstad WL, Lewis JS The American journal of surgical pathology 2014 Jun 38 6 809-15
- In myofibroblastic sarcomas of the head and neck, mitotic activity and necrosis define grade: a case study and literature review.
  Cai C, Dehner LP, El-Mofty SK Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology 2013 Dec 463 6 827-36
- Teratocarcinoma formation in embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitor hippocampal transplants.
  Germain ND, Hartman NW, Cai C, Becker S, Naegele JR, Grabel LB Cell transplantation 2012 21 8 1603-11
- Primary Ewing's sarcoma of cranial bones: analysis of ten patients.
  Salunke PS, Gupta K, Malik V, Kumar N, Henke LE, Cai C, Chen WS, Pfeifer JD Acta neurochirurgica 2011 Jul 153 7 1477-85
- Hedgehog serves as a mitogen and survival factor during embryonic stem cell neurogenesis.
  Cai C, Thorne J, Grabel L Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio) 2008 May 26 5 1097-108
- Directing the differentiation of embryonic stem cells to neural stem cells.
  Cai C, Grabel L Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists 2007 Dec 236 12 3255-66

Research

Neuromuscular disease
Tumor ischemia and radioresistance
Meningioma
Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

Clinical Focus

Neuropathology