Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Sciences
Albany Medical College
Albany, New York, USA
Phone: 1-518-264-2541
E-mail: caic@mail.amc.edu
Education
2004-2009 |
Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associate in Physiology & Biophysics, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, U.S.A. |
1998-2003 |
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Institute of Biophysics, Beijing, P.R. China |
1993-1997 |
B.S. in Environmental Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan city, P.R. China |
Profile
Dr. Chuanxi Cai is currently an Associate Professor in the Center of Cardiovascular Sciences at Albany Medical College since 2013. He has been a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Institute of Molecular Cardiology, in the University of Louisville since 2009. He received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Wuhan University in China. His interests in chemistry and biology led to his doctoral studies in the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the Institute of Biophysics in the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He started his postdoctoral studies at the laboratory of Dr. Jianjie Ma in 2004, where he has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from American Heart association (AHA). He has published 15 peer-reviewed research articles as first author or correspondent author. He is the recipient of multiple national grants from NIH and AHA. He is currently serving as a reviewer of several reputed journals, and he is the member of the Extramural Review Committee of the American Heart Association (AHA), Basic Cell - Cell Structure and Survival Study Group.
Research Interest
- Enhancing the effectiveness of human cardiac stem cell therapy
- Improving the efficacy of cardiac reprogramming for heart disease modeling and drug screening;
- The role of MG53 (TRIM72) in muscle development and regeneration
Professional Activities:
Positions and Employment
2013-Present |
Associate Professor, Center of Cardiovascular Sciences, Albany Medical College Joint-appointment at the Department of Medicine, Albany Medical College |
2012-2013 |
Assistant Professor (Tenure-track), Institute of Molecular Cardiology, University of Louisville |
2009-2012 |
Assistant Professor (Termed), Institute of Molecular Cardiology, University of Louisville |
2004-2009 |
Postdoctoral Fellow, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) |
Teaching Experience and Departmental Committees
2006-2009 |
Lab Teaching Assistant, Lead graduate students in calcium measurement and confocal imaging laboratory sections, Medical Physiology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School |
2005-2009 |
Small Group Facilitator, Medical Physiology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School |
2002-2004 |
Teaching and Research Assistant, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Institute of Biophysics |
1998-1999 |
Member, Institute of Biophysics Graduate Student Committee |
Memberships of Professional Associations
- Member of the American Heart Association since 2006
- Member of the Biophysical Society of America since
Honors and Awards
Awards and Scholarships
2011 |
AHA BCVS Abstract Travel Grant award for Scientific Sessions 2011 in Orlando |
2008-2009 |
Postdoctoral Fellowship Award from American Heart Association |
2004 |
Excellent Graduate Student — Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Science |
2003 |
Dean Scholarship Award — Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Science |
Honors and Professional Activities
2012-present |
Reviewer panel for NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program — Cell Biology Panel |
2012- |
present Member, Editors & Editorial Board for the Journal of Clinical & Experimental Cardiology |
2011 |
Poster Presenter— American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2010, Orlando |
2010 |
Invited Session Speaker — American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2010, Chicago |
2009-present |
Reviewer for Journal of Biological Chemistry |
2009-present |
Grant Reviewer Panel CSS2 for American Heart Association |
2009 |
Invited Session Speaker — 5th Cachexia Conference, Barcelona, Spain. |
2009 |
Poster Presenter — 53rd Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts |
2008 |
Poster Presenter — 52nd Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, Long Beach, California |
2007 |
Invited Session Speaker — 51st Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, one Plat Form lecture and one Poster presentation |
2006 |
Poster Presenter — Gordon Conference for Muscle E-C coupling, Colby-Sawyer College |
Publications
- Cai, C., Zhu, H., Chen, J. Overexpression of caveolin-1 increases plasma membrane fluidity and reduces P-glycoprotein function in Hs578T/Dox. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2004 Jul 30; 320(3):868-74.
- Cai, C., Chen, J. Overexpression of caveolin-1 induces alteration of multidrug resistance in Hs578T breast adenocarcinoma cells. Int J Cancer. 2004 Sep 10; 111(4):522-9.
- Zhu, H., Cai, C., Chen, J. Suppression of P-glycoprotein gene expression in Hs578T/Dox by the overexpression of caveolin-1. FEBS Lett. 2004 Oct 22; 576(3):369-74.
- Cai, C., Lin, P., Cheung, KH., Li, N., Levchook, C., Pan, Z., Ferrante, C., Boulianne, GL., Foskett, J.K., Danielpour, D., Ma, J. The presenilin-2 loop peptide perturbs intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and accelerates apoptosis. J Biol Chem. 2006 Jun 16; 281(24):16649-55.
- Zhu, H., Weisleder, N., Wu, P., Cai, C., Chen, J.W. Caveolae/caveolin-1 are important modulators of store-operated calcium entry in Hs578/T breast cancer cells. J Pharmacol Sci. 2008 Feb; 106(2):287-94.
- Cai, C., Masumiya, H., Weisleder, N., Pan, Z., Nishi, M., Komazaki, S., Takeshima, H., Ma, J. MG53 regulates membrane budding and exocytosis in muscle cells. J Biol Chem. 2009 Jan 30; 284(5):3314-22.
- Cai, C., Masumiya, H., Weisleder, Matsuda, N., Nishi, M., Hwang, M., Ko, J., Lin, P., Thornton, A., Zhao, X., Pan, Z., Brotto, M., Komazaki, S., Takeshima, H. and Ma, J. MG53 nucleates assembly of membrane repair machinery. Nat Cell Biol. 2009 Jan; 11(1):56-64.
- Li, N., Lin, P., Cai, C., Pan, Z., Weisleder, N., Ma, J. The amino-terminal peptide of Bax perturbs intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis to enhance apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2009 Feb; 296(2):C267-72.
- Cai, C., Weisleder, N., Ko, J., Komazaki, S., Sunada, Y., Nishi, M., Takeshima, H. and Ma, J. Membrane repair defects in muscular dystrophy are linked to altered interaction between MG53, caveolin-3 and dysferlin. J Biol Chem. 2009 Jun 5; 284(23):15894-902.
- Lin, P., Zhu, H,, Cai, C., Wang, X., Cao, C., Xiao, R., Pan, Z., Weisleder, N., Takeshima, H., Ma. J. Nonmuscle myosin IIA facilitates vesicle trafficking for MG53-mediated cell membrane repair. FASEB J. 2012 Jan 17; 26(5):1875-83.
- He, B., Tang, RH., Weisleder, N., Xiao, B., Yuan, Z., Cai, C., Zhu, H., Lin, P., Qiao, C., Li, J., Mayer, C., Li, J., Ma, J., Xiao, X. Enhancing Muscle Membrane Repair by Gene Delivery of MG53 Ameliorates Muscular Dystrophy and Heart Failure in δ-Sarcoglycan-deficient Hamsters. Mol Ther. 2012 Apr; 20(4):727-35.
- Weisleder N, Takizawa N, Lin P, Wang X, Cao C, Zhang Y, Tan T, Ferrante C, Zhu H, Chen PJ, Yan R, Sterling M, Zhao X, Hwang M, Takeshima M, Cai, C., Cheng H, Takeshima H, Xiao RP, Ma J. Recombinant MG53 protein modulates therapeutic cell membrane repair in treatment of muscular dystrophy. Sci Transl Med. 2012 Jun 20; 4(139):139ra85.
- Cai, C., Teng, L,, Vu, D., He, JQ., Guo, Y., Li, Q., Tang, XL., Rokosh, G., Bhatnagar, A., Bolli, R. The Heme Oxygenase 1 Inducer (CoPP) Protects Human Cardiac Stem Cells Against Apoptosis Through Activation of The ERK/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway and Cytokine Release. J Biol Chem. 2012 Sep 28; 287(40):33720-32.
- Cai, C., Lin, P., Zhu, H., Ko, JK., Hwang, M., Tan, T., Pan, Z., Korichneva, I., Ma, J. Zinc-binding to MG53 facilitates repair of injury to cell membrane. J Biol Chem. 2015 Apr 13. J Biol Chem. 2015 May 29;290(22):13830-9.
- Cai, C*., Guo, Y., Teng, L., Du, J., Tan, M., Wu, W., Book, M., Wang, XL., Zhu, X., Li, Q., Hong, K., Bolli R*. (2015) Preconditioning Human Cardiac Stem Cells with HO-1 Inducer Enhances the in vivo Cell Survival and Improves Heart Function after Myocardial Infarction. Stem Cells. 2015 Aug 24. doi: 10.1002/stem.2198. [Epub ahead of print]. (*co-correspondent author)
- Teng, L., Cai, C. Nitric Oxide Preconditioned Cardiac Stem Cells Improve Cardiac Regeneration Through Activation Of STAT3/NFκB Signal Pathways. J Biol Chem. 2014 (In Revision)
Selected Abstracts for Research Conferences
- Cai, C., Masumiya, H., Nishi, M., Yazawa, M., Ko, J., Weisleder, N., Brotto, M., Pan, Z., Komazaki, S., Ma, J., Takeshima, H. (2006) Molecular characterization of MG53, a muscle-specific TRIM family protein, as a bi-functional regulator of Ca signaling in striated muscles. Biophys. J. 90: 5a.
- Cai, C., Lin, P., Cheung, KH., Li, N., Pan, Z., Ferrante, C., Boulianne, GL., Foskett, JK., Danielpour, D., Ma, J. (2006) The presenilin-loop peptide perturbs intracellular Ca homeostasis and accelerates apoptosis. Biophys. J. 90: 17a.
- Cai, C., Masumiya, H., Weisleder, N., Nishi, M., Ko, J., Komazaki, S., Pan, Z., Takeshima, H., Ma, J. (2007) Functional interaction between MG53 and caveolin-3 regulates membrane trafficking in skeletal muscle. Biophys. J. 91: 20a.
- Cai, C., Lin, P., Danielpour, D., Ma, J. (2007) Scaffolding function of caveolin-1 facilitates the apoptosis resistant nature of prostate cancer cells during Bax overexpression. Biophys. J. 91: 569a.
- Cai, C., Masumiya, H., Weisleder, Matsuda, N., Nishi, M., Hwang, M., Ko, J., Lin, P., Thornton, A., Zhao, X., Pan, Z., Brotto, M., Komazaki, S., Takeshima, H. and Ma, J. (2008) MG53 is an essential component of the acute membrane repair machinery. Biophys. J. 92: 310a.
- Cai, C., Masumiya, H., Weisleder, Matsuda, N., Nishi, M., Hwang, M., Ko, J., Lin, P., Thornton, A., Zhao, X., Pan, Z., Brotto, M., Komazaki, S., Takeshima, H. and Ma, J. (2009) MG53 nucleates assembly of cell membrane repair machinery. Biophys. J. 93; 361a.
- Cai, C., Liu, X., He, J., Vu, D., Tang, X., Guo, Y., Li, Q., Rokosh, G., Bolli R. (2010) Preconditioning Cardiac Progenitor Cells With Biologically Active Gases (NO And CO) Enhances Cell Survival Through Activation Of Survival Signal Pathways. Circulation. 121: A13247.
- Cai, C., Teng, L., He, J., Vu, D., Tang, X., Guo, Y., Li, Q., Rokosh, G., Bolli R. (2011) HO-1/CO mediated preconditioning of human cardiac stem cells protects against apoptosis through activation of survival signaling pathways and cytokine release. Circulation. 124: A9875.
- Teng, L., ., He, J., Vu, D., Tang, X., Guo, Y., Li, Q., Rokosh, G., Bolli R., Cai, C. (2012) Preconditioning cardiac stem cells with a nitric oxide donor (DETA-NO) enhances cell survival through activation of survival signaling pathways. Circulation. 127: A11147.