Jianfeng Xu, M.D., DrPH
Professor of Public Health
Professor of Cancer Biology

Dr.Ph, 1997 Johns Hopkins
MPH, 1992 Johns Hopkins
MSc, 1987 School of Public Health, Shanghai Medical University, China
M.D., 1984 Shanghai Medical University, China

Research Interests

Collaborating with other faculty members in the Center for Human Genomics, Dr. Xu has made important contributions in identifying the first prostate cancer susceptibility gene (HPC1), a prostate cancer susceptibility gene on the chromosome X (HPCX), and also an asthma susceptibility gene on chromosome 5. He is also an active member in the International Consortium of Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG).

Dr. Xu's research group focuses on prostate cancer gene mapping using various approaches such as genetic linkage studies, family-based and population-based association studies, and molecular positional cloning technique. He has extensive experience in statistical genetic analysis, including genetic segregation analysis, linkage analysis, and association analysis. He oversees the analytical laboratory in the Center for Human Genomics, which is equipped with multiple SUN workstations that are specialized with various genetic software. The analytical laboratory is built to keep pace with the large volumes of data generated by the molecular laboratories. As a key to the analytical capacity of the Center for Human Genomics, Dr. Xu is also involved in several projects within the center for human genomics, such as osteoporosis, COPD, and cardiovascular diseases. Currently, his group consists of 8 faculty members, one genetic counselor, and several staff. This group has published six prostate cancer research papers and submitted 4 manuscripts, all to top publishers, in the year 2001 alone.

Selected Publications: Journal Articles

Postma DS, Bleecker ER, Amelung PJ, Holroyd KJ, Panhuysen CIM, Xu J, Meyers DA, Levitt RC (1995): Genetic susceptibility to asthma: bronchial hyperresponsiveness coinherited with a major gene for atopy. N Eng J Med 1994; 333:894-900.

Tsiouris SJ, Breschel TS, Xu J, McInnis MG, McMahon FJ. Linkage disequilibrium analysis of G-olf (GNAL) in bipolar affective disorder. Am. J. Med Genet (Neuropsychiatric Genet) 1996; 67:491-494.

Smith JR*, Freiji D*, Carpten JD*, Gronberg H*, Xu J*, Isaacs SD, Brownstei MJ, Bova GS, Guo H, Bujnovsky P, Nusskern DR, Damber JE, Bergth A, Emanuelsson M, Kallioniemi OP, Walker-Daniels J, Baily-Wilson JE, Beaty TH, Meyers DA, Walsh PC, Collins FS, Trent JM, Isaacs WB(1996): A genome wide search reveals a major susceptibility locus for prostate cancer on chromosome 1. Science 1996; 274:1371-1374. *These authors made major and equal contributions to the study.

Gronberg H, Isaacs SD, Smith JR, Carpten JD, Bova GS, Freije D, Xu J, Meyers DA, Collins FS, Trent JM, Walsh PC, Isaacs WB. Characteristics of prostate cancer in families potentially linked to the Hereditary Prostate Cancer (HPC1) locus. JAMA 1997; 278:1251-1255.

Gronberg H*, Xu J*, Smith JR*, Carpten JD*, Isaacs SD, Freije D, Bova GS, Walsh PC, Collins FS, Trent JM, Meyers DA Isaacs WB. Early age of diagnosis in families providing evidence of linkage to the hereditary prostate cancer (HPC1) locus on chromosome 1. Cancer Res 1997; 57:4707-4709. *These authors made major and equal contributions to the study.

Xu J, Panhuysen CIM, Taylor EW, Wiesch D, and Meyers DA. Empirical evaluation of genome scans for linkage of a quantitative trait associated with a complex disorder. Genetic Epi 1997; 14:927-932.

McMahon FJ, Hopkins PJ, Xu J, McInnis MG, Shaw S, Cardon L, Simpson SG, MacKinnon DF, Stine OC, Sherrington R, Meyers DA, DePaulo JR. Linkage of bipolar affective disorder to chromosome 18 markers in a new pedigree series. Am J Human Genet 1997 61:1397-1404.

Stine OC, McMahon FJ, Chen L, Xu J, Meyers DA, MacKinnon DF, Simpson S, McInnis MG, Rice JP, Goate A, Reich T, Edenberg HJ, Foroud T, Nurnberger JI, Detera?Wadleigh SD, Goldin LR, Guroff J, Gershon ES, Blehar MC, DePaulo JR: Initial genome screen for bipolar disorder in the NIMH Genetics Initiative pedigrees: chromosomes 2, 11, 13, 14 and X. Am J Med Genet 74:263-269, 1997.

CSGA (The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Asthma). (University of Maryland Center). A genome-wide search for asthma susceptibility loci in ethnically diverse populations. Nature Genetics 1997; 15:389-392.

Xu J*, Meyers DA, Freije D, Isaacs S, Wiley K, Nusskern D, Ewing C, Wilkens E, Bujnovsky P, Bova GS, Walsh P, Isaacs W, Schleutker J*, Matikainen M*, Tammela T, Visakorpi T, Kallioniemi O-P, Berry R*, Schaid D, French A, McDonnell S, Schroeder J, Blute M, Thibodeau S, Gronberg H*, Emanuelsson M, Damber J-E, Bergh, Jonsson B-A, Smith J*, Bailey-Wilson J, Carpten J, Stephan D, Gillanders E, Amundson I, Kainu T, Freas-Lutz D, Baffoe-Bonnie A, Van Aucken A, Sood R, Collins F, Brownstein M, Trent J. * These authors contributed equally to this work. Evidence for a prostate cancer susceptibility locus on the X chromosome. Nature Genetics 1998; 20:175-179.

Wilkens ER, Freije D, Xu J, Nusskern DR, Suzuki H, Isaacs SD, Wiley K, Bujnovszky P, Meyers DA, Walsh PC, Isaacs WB. No Evidence for a role of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations in Ashkenazi Jewish families with hereditary prostate cancer. Prostate 1999; 39:280-284.

Gronberg H, Smith J, Emanuelsson M, Jonsson B-A, Bergh A, Carpten J, Isaacs W, Xu J, Meyers DA, Trent J, Damber J-E. In Swedish families with hereditary prostate cancer, linkage to the HPC1 locus on chromosome 1q24-25 is restricted to families with early-onset prostate cancer. Am J Hum Genet 1999; 65:134-140.

Xu J, Wiesch DG, Taylor EW, Meyers DA. Evaluation of replication studies, combined data analysis, and analytical methods in complex diseases. Genetic Epidemiology 1999; 17: S773-S778.

Ober C, Willadsen SA, Tsalenko A, Howard TD, Hoki D, Daniel R, Newman D, Fryer J, Brott M, Parry R, Lester LA, Solway J, Blumenthal M, King R, Xu J, Meyers DA, Bleecker ER, Cox N. Variation in the interleukin 4 receptor a gene confers susceptibility to asthma and atopy in ethnically diverse populations. Am J Hum Genet 2000; 66:517-26.

Xu J, and International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG). Combined analysis of hereditary prostate cancer linkage to 1q24-25: results from 772 hereditary prostate cancer families from the international consortium for prostate cancer genetics. Am J Hum Genet 2000; 66:945-957.

Xu J, Postma DS, Howard TD, Koppelman GH, Zheng SL, Stine OC, Bleecker ER, Meyers DA. Major Genes Regulating Total Serum Immunoglobulin E Levels in Families with Asthma. Am J Hum Genet 2000; 67:1163-1173.

Mathias RA, Freidhoff LR, Blumenthal MN, Meyers DA, Lester L, King R, Xu J, Solway J, Barnes KC, Pierce J, Stine OC, Togias A, Oetting W, Marshik PL, Hetmanski JB, Huang SK, Ehrlich E, Dunston GM, Malveaux F, Banks-Schlegel S, Cox NJ, Bleecker E, Ober C, Beaty TH, Rich SS, and the CSGA. A genome-wide linkage analyses of total serum IgE using variance components analysis in asthmatic families. Genet Epidemiol 2001; 20:340-355.

Xu J, Zheng SL, Carpten JD, Nupponen NN, Robbins C, Mestre J, Moses T, Faith D, Kelly B, Isaacs SD, Wiley K, Chang B, Bleecker ER, Bailey-Wilson J, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WI. Evaluation of linkage and association of HPC2/ELAC2 in Patients with Familial or Sporadic Prostate Cancer. Am J Hum Genet 2001; 68:901-911.

Xu J, Zheng SL, Chang B, Smith JR, Carpten JD, Stine OC, Isaacs SD, Wiley K, Henning L, Ewing C, Bujnovszky P, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WI. Linkage of prostate cancer susceptibility loci to chromosome 1. Human Genet 2001; 108:335-345.

Xu J, Zheng SL, Chang B, Isaacs SD, Wiley K, Hawkin GA, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WI. Linkage and association studies of prostate cancer susceptibility gene on 8p22-23. Am J Hum Genet 2001; 69:341-350.

Zheng SL, Xu J, Chang B, Isaacs SD, Wiley K, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WI. Evidence for a prostate cancer linkage to chromosome 20 in 159 hereditary prostate cancer families. Human Genet 2001; 108:430-435.

Xu J, Meyers DA, Ober C, Blumenthal MN, Mellon B, Barnes K, King RA, Lester LA, Howard TD, Solway J, Langefeld CD, Beaty TH, Rich SS, Bleecker ER, Cox NJ, and the CSGA. Genome wide screen and identifying gene-gene interactions for asthma susceptibility loci in three U.S populations: Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Asthma (CSGA). Am J Hum Genet 2001; 68:1437-1446.

Warren J, Jackson T, Meyers D, Xu J. Fishbein/interstitial cystitis association (ICA) survey of interstitial cystitis among family members of ICA members: preliminary analysis. Urology 2001; 57(6 Suppl 1):126-127

Warren J, Jackson T, Meyers D, Xu J. Concordance of interstitial cystitis (IC) in identical twins: preliminary data. Urology 2001; 57(6 Suppl 1):126.

Warren JW, Keay SK, Meyers D, Xu J. Concordance of interstitial cystitis in monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. Urology 2001; 57(6 Suppl 1):22-25.

Chang B, Zheng SL, Isaacs SD, Wiley K, Carpten JD, Hawkins GA, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WI, Xu J. Linkage and association of CYP17 gene in hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer. Int J of Cancer 2001; 95: 354-359.

Howard TD, Whittaker PA, Zaiman AL, Koppelman GH, Xu J, Hanley MT, Meyers DA, Postma, DS, Bleecker ER. Identification and association of polymorphisms in the interleukin 13 gene with asthma and atopy in a dutch population. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2001 (In Press).

Howard TD, Xu J, Wiesch DG, Zheng S, Jess JJ, Stine OC, Koppelman GH, Postma DS, Meyers DA, Bleecker ER. Association of II-4 receptor alpha (ILRµ) polymorphisms with allergic phenotype in an asthmatic Dutch population. Am J Resp Crit Care Med 2001 (In Revision).

Howard TD, Koppelman GH, Xu J, Zheng SL, Postma, DS, Meyers DA, Bleecker ER. Association of IL4Ra polymorphisms with atopy and asthma and gene-gene interaction with IL13 in an asthmatic Dutch population. Am J Resp Crit Care Med 2001 (Submitted).

Hsing AW, Zheng SL, Gao YT, Deng J, Sesterhenn IA, Mostofi FK, Meyers DA, Isaacs WI, and Xu J. HPC2/ELAC2 Susceptibility and Prostate Cancer Risk: a Population-based Case-control Study in China. 2001 (Submitted).

Zheng SL, Hawkins GA, Mychaleckyj J, Isaacs SD, Wiley K, Turner A, Chang B, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WI, Xu J. Sequence variations of DLC1 gene in hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer patients 2001 (Submitted).

Koppelman GH, Stine OC, Xu J, Howard TD, Zheng SL, Kauffman HF, Bleecker ER, Meyers DA, Postma DS. Genome-wide search for atopy susceptibility genes in Dutch families with asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001 (Submitted).

Wiesch DG, Meyers DA, Paigen BJ, Eggleston PA, Xu J, Samet JM, Bleecker ER. A cross-sectional study of mouse-related laboratory animal allergy in 686 at risk subjects. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001 (Submitted).

Chang B, Zheng SL, Hawkins GA, Isaacs SD, Wiley KE, Turner A, Carpten JD, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WB, Xu J. Evidence for linkage and association of the polymorphic CAG and GGC repeats in the androgen receptor gene to the risk of prostate cancer. Hum Genet 2001 (Submitted).

Chang B, Zheng SL, Hawkins GA, Isaacs SD, Wiley KE, Turner A, Carpten JD, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WB, Xu J. Joint effect of HSD3B1 and HSD3B2 genes is associated with hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer susceptibility. Cancer Res 2001 (Submitted).

Zheng SL, Mychaleckyj JC, Hawkins GA, Isaacs SD, Wiley KE, Turner A, Chang B, von Kap-Herr C, Carpten JD, Pettenati M, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WB, Xu J. Evaluation of DLC1 as a prostate cancer susceptibility gene: mutation screen and association study. Mut Res 2001 (Submitted).

Xu J, Meyers DA, Sterling D, Zheng SL, Catalona WJ, Cramer SD, Bleecker ER, Ohar J. Association studies of serum PSA levels and the genetic polymorphisms at the androgen receptor and prostate-specific antigen genes. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2001 (Submitted).

Rao A, Chang B, Hawkins G, Hu JJ, Rosser CJ, Hall MC, Meyers DA, Xu J, Cramer SD. Functional and population-based analysis of the G/A polymorphism in the androgen response element I of the PSA gene and its interactions with the androgen receptor polymorphisms. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2001 (Submitted).

Howard TD, Postma DS, Hawkins GA, Koppelman GH, Zheng SL, Xu J, Meyers DA, Bleecker ER. Fine-mapping of an IgE susceptibility on chromosome 2q: analysis of CTLA-4. 2001 (In Preparation).

Chang B, Zheng SL, Hawkins GA, Isaacs SD, Wiley KE, Turner A, Carpten JD, Bleecker ER, Walsh PC, Trent JM, Meyers DA, Isaacs WB, Xu J. Polymorphic GGC repeats in the androgen receptor gene are associated with hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer risk. Am J Hum Genet 2001 (Submitted).

Selected Publications: Editorials and Scientific Reviews

Xu J, Meyers DA: Linkage analysis for complex disorders In: Lung Biology in Health and Diseases, C Lenfant, Exec. Ed. Genetics of Asthma, S Liggett, DA Meyers, Eds, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York 1996: pp. 351-366.

Stine OC, Xu J, Meyers DA, Bleecker ER. Approaches to fine mapping in asthma. Clin & Exp Allergy 1998, 98-100.

Xu J, Meyers DA. Approaches to meta-analysis in genetic disorders. Clin & Exp Allergy 1998, 28:106-107.

Xu J, Wiesch DG, Meyers DA. Genetics of Complex human diseases: genome mapping, association studies and fine mapping. Clin Exp Allergy 1998; 28:1-5.

Selected Publications: Book Chapters

Xu J (1989) Twin study. In: Advance in Child and Adolescent Health. G Zhang, Ed. Shanghai.

Taylor EW, Xu J, Meyers DA (1996). Linkage analysis of genetic disorders. In: Gene mapping protocols. J Boultwood Ed., Methods in molecular biology series. Humana Press. pp:11-26.

Xu J, Meyers DA, Pericack-Vance MA: LOD Score Analysis (1998). In: Design and Implementation of Mapping Studies for Complex Human Diseases. Haines JL and Perivak-Vance MA, Eds. John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp. 253-272

Isaacs WB, Xu J, Walsh PC (2001) Hereditary prostate cancer. In: Chung LWK, Isaacs WB, Simons JW (eds) Prostate cancer, biology, genetics, and the new therapeutics. Humana Press, New Jersey