Ren Xu

Sourced from institutional research profiles (UAMS TRI or ARA).

◆ ARA Academy Federal Grant PI

Professor

UAMS

Faculty Researcher

COM | Radiation Oncology

Research Areas

Links

Lab Website UAMS TRI Profile

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OverviewAI-generated summary

Ren Xu, a Professor in Radiation Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, has received significant federal funding for research focused on cancer mechanisms and progression. His work has been supported by four NIH/National Cancer Institute awards totaling over $961,000. These grants have supported investigations into the roles of Hsp47 in breast cancer progression, the PLOD2/succinate axis in regulating cancer cell plasticity and stemness, and the roles of mRNA transfer in cancer cell-platelet communication. Additionally, funding has been allocated to study the roles of RORα in breast cancer development and progression.

Dr. Xu's research program actively investigates molecular pathways that contribute to cancer. His federally funded projects highlight a focus on understanding how specific proteins and metabolic axes influence cancer cell behavior, including plasticity and stemness. The study of mRNA transfer in cancer cell-platelet communication points to an interest in intercellular communication and its role in cancer. Dr. Xu is recognized as an ARA Academy member and an Innovation Scholar, with his research area identified as Cancer Research.

ARA Academy 2025 Innovation Scholar

Dr. Xu is a newly appointed division director at the UAMS Cancer Institute. Previously a tenured professor of pharmacology at the University of Kentucky's Markey Cancer Center, his research focuses on microenvironmental cues and their modulation of breast cancer progression, with emphasis on identifying strategies to inhibit breast cancer metastasis and drug resistance. Several junior faculty he mentored have secured NIH R01 and foundation grants. His research has been continuously supported by multiple NCI R01 grants.

Policy Impact

Brings continuous NCI R01 grant funding and cancer research leadership to Arkansas, strengthening UAMS's capacity to compete for federal biomedical research dollars.