Xin Cai, M.D., Ph.D.

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Radiation Oncology
Cancer Metabolism
Central Nervous System Tumors

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Biography

Xin Cai, M.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in radiation oncology and directs a laboratory that studies cancer biology.

Dr. Cai earned his medical degree and a doctoral degree in biology through the Medical Scientist Training Program at UT Southwestern. He performed his residency in radiation oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he also completed a postdoc fellowship studying cancer metabolism. In addition, he holds an undergraduate and master’s degree in chemistry from Harvard.

He joined the UT Southwestern faculty and the Medical Center’s central nervous system disease-oriented team in 2023.

Dr. Cai’s clinical interests include central nervous system tumors and cancer metabolism. He is also the principal investigator at the Cai Lab for research on cancer metabolism and signaling, topics on which he has published numerous peer-reviewed articles.

He is a member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the Radiological Society of North America and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for the journals Apoptosis, Journal of Immunology, PLoS ONE, Protein and Cell, Cytokine, and Journal of Cellular Biochemistry.

Personal Note

Outside of work, Dr. Cai enjoys swimming, running, and biking.

Education & Training

Postdoctoral Fellowship - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2021), Radiation Oncology
Graduate School - Harvard University (2008-2009), Chemistry
Medical School - UT Southwestern Medical School (2009-2016)
Residency - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2017-2021), Radiation Oncology
Internship - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2016-2017), Radiation Oncology

Professional Associations & Affiliations

American Society for Radiation Oncology
New York Academy of Sciences
Radiological Society of North America

Honors & Awards

K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award 2021-2025, National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute
Holman Research Pathway Fellow 2019-2021, American Board of Radiology
Predoctoral Fellowship 2012-2014, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Books & Publications

Publications
- Lactate activates the mitochondrial electron transport chain independently of its metabolism
  Cai X, Ng CP, Jones O, Fung TS, Ryu KW, Li D, Thompson CB Molecular cell 2023 Nov 83 3904-3920.e7
- A tissue injury sensing and repair pathway distinct from host pathogen defense
  Liu S, Hur YH, Cai X, Cong Q, Yang Y, Xu C, Bilate AM, Gonzales KA, Parigi SM, Cowley CJ, Hurwitz B, Luo JD, Tseng T, Gur-Cohen S, Sribour M, Omelchenko T, Levorse J, Pasolli HA, Thompson CB, Mucida D, Fuchs E Cell 2023 May 186 2127-2143.e22
- Fibroblast pyruvate carboxylase is required for collagen production in the tumour microenvironment
  Schwörer S, Pavlova NN, Cimino FV, King B, Cai X, Sizemore GM, Thompson CB Nature Metabolism 2021 Nov 3 1484-1499
- Proton Radiotherapy for Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancers with Palliative Quad Shot
  Ma J, Lok BH, Zong J, Gutiontov SI, Cai X, Bell AC, Shcherba M, Xiao H, Sherman EJ, Tsai CJ, Riaz N, McBride SM, Cahlon O, Lee NY International Journal of Particle Therapy 2018 Jul 4 10-19
- Prion-like polymerization in immunity and inflammation
  Cai X, Xu H, Chen ZJ Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology 2017 Apr 9
- Phosphorylation of innate immune adaptor proteins MAVS, STING, and TRIF induces IRF3 activation
  Liu S, Cai X, Wu J, Cong Q, Chen X, Li T, Du F, Ren J, Wu YT, Grishin NV, Chen ZJ Science 2015 Mar 347
- TLR3 deficiency in herpes simplex encephalitis: High allelic heterogeneity and recurrence risk
  Lim HK, Seppänen M, Hautala T, Ciancanelli MJ, Itan Y, Lafaille FG, Dell W, Lorenzo L, Byun M, Pauwels E, Rönnelid Y, Cai X, Boucherit S, Jouanguy E, Paetau A, Lebon P, Rozenberg F, Tardieu M, Abel L, Yildiran A, Vergison A, Roivainen R, Etzioni A, Tienari PJ, Casanova JL, Zhang SY Neurology 2014 Nov 83 1888-1897
- Incomplete specialty referral among children in community health centers
  Zuckerman KE, Cai X, Perrin JM, Donelan K Journal of Pediatrics 2011 Jan 158 24-30
- Enzymatic primer-extension with glycerol-nucleoside triphosphates on DNA templates
  Chen JJ, Tsai CH, Cai X, Horhota AT, McLaughlin LW, Szostak JW PloS one 2009 Mar 4
- N2′→ P3′ phosphoramidate glycerol nucleic acid as a potential alternative genetic system
  Chen JJ, Cai X, Szostak JW Journal of the American Chemical Society 2009 Feb 131 2119-2121

Research

Cancer Metabolism and Signaling

Clinical Focus

Cancer Metabolism
Central Nervous System Tumors