A postdoctoral position is available at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston) to study the CNS control of body weight, glucose homeostasis and blood pressure using Cre-loxP mouse models (please see http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/faculty/index.cfm?pmid=19130 for details). Candidates need to have a doctoral degree in biology, neuroscience, physiology, endocrinology or other related disciplines. Experience in mouse telemetry or molecular biology is preferred but not required. Please send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and 3 references to: Dr. Yong Xu, Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine. Email: yongx@bcm.edu.

Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.

Selected Peer-reviewed Publications
1. Sohn JW, Xu Y, Jones JE, Wickman K, Williams KW, Elmquist JK. Serotonin 2C receptor activates a distinct population of arcuate nucleus pro-opiomelanocortin neurons via TRPC channels. Neuron 2011 (in press).
2. Kim KW, Zhao L, Donata J , Khono D, Xu Y, Lee C, Parker K, Elmquist JK. Steroidogenic Factor 1 Directs Programs Regulating Diet-Induced Thermogenesis and Leptin Action in the Ventral Medial Hypothalamic Nucleus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Jun 2. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 21636788.
3. Marino JS, Xu Y, Hill JW. Central insulin and leptin-mediated autonomic control of glucose homeostasis. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Apr 12. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 21489811.
4. Xu Y, Berglund DE, Sohn JW, Holland WL, Chuang JC, Fukuda M, Rossi J, Williams KW, Jones JE, Zigman JM, Lowell BB, Scherer PE and Elmquist JE. 5-HT2CRs Expressed by Pro-opiomelanocortin Neurons Regulate Insulin Sensitivity in Liver. Nature Neuroscience. 2010 Dec; 1(12):1457-9. PMID: 21037584.
5. Xu Y, Jones JE, Lauzon DA, Anderson JG, Balthasar N, Heisler LK, Zinn AR, Lowell BB and Elmquist JK. A Serotonin and Melanocortin Circuit Mediates d-Fenfluramine Anorexia. The Journal of Neuroscience. 2010 Nov 3;30(44):14630-4. PMID: 21048120.
6. Xu Y, Hill JW, Gautron L, Lee CE, Choi MJ, Dhillon H, Lowell BB, Zigman JM, Zhao JJ and Elmquist JK. PI3K signalling in ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus is required for normal energy homeostasis. Cell Metabolism. 2010 Jul 4;12(1):88-95. PMID: 20620998.
7. Kim KW, Sohn JW, Kohno D, Xu Y, Williams K, Elmquist JK. SF-1 in the ventral medial hypothalamic nucleus: A key regulator of homeostasis. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2010 Nov 24. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 2111025.
8. Hill JW, Elias CF, Fukuda M, Cho YR, Chuang JC, Xu Y, Choi MJ, Balthasar N, Coppari R, Scherer PE, Brüning JC, Lowell BB, Elmquist JK. Direct Insulin and Leptin Action in Pro-opiomelanocortin Neurons is Required for Normal Glucose Homeostasis and Fertility. Cell Metabolism. 2010 Apr 7;11(4):286-97. PMID: 20374961.
9. Hill JW, Xu Y (joint first author), Preitner F, Fukuda M, Cho YR, Luo L, Balthasar N, Coppari R, Cantley LC, Kahn BB, Zhao JJ, Elmquist JK. PI3K signaling in hypothalamic POMC neurons contributes to the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Endocrinology. 2009 Nov;150(11):4874-82. PMID: 19819947.
10. Xu Y, Jones JE, Kohno D, Williams KW, Lee CE, Choi MJ, Anderson JG, Heisler LK, Zigman JM, Lowell BB and Elmquist JK. 5-HT2CRs expressed by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate energy homeostasis. Neuron. 2008 Nov;60(4):582-589. PMID: 19038216.
11. Xu Y and Krukoff TL. Adrenomedullin stimulates nitric oxide production from primary rat hypothalamic neurons: roles of calcium and phosphatases. Molecular Pharmacology. 2007 Jul;72(1):112-20. PMID: 17446268.
12. Xu Y and Krukoff TL. Adrenomedullin in the rostral ventrolateral medulla inhibits baroreflex control of heart rate: a role for protein kinase A. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2006 May;148(1):70-7. PMID: 16501581.
13. Xu Y and Krukoff TL. Adrenomedullin stimulates nitric oxide release from SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells by modulating intracellular calcium mobilization. Endocrinology. 2005 May;146(5):2295-305. PMID: 15677761.
14. Xu Y and Krukoff TL. Adrenomedullin in the rostral ventrolateral medulla increases arterial pressure and heart rate: roles of glutamate and nitric oxide. American Journal of Physiology- Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. 2004 Oct;287(4):R729-34. PMID: 15178541.
15. Xu Y and Krukoff TL. Decrease in arterial pressure induced by adrenomedullin in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of is mediated by nitric oxide and GABA. Regulatory Peptides 119: 21-30, 2004. PMID: 15093693.