What do organ rejection, HIV vaccines, chlamydia and pregnancy have in common? An NC State veterinary researcher whose unusual combination of laboratory science and computational biology is attracting collaborators from across the country—and helping scientists rethink how the immune system works.
Some of the most promising advances in human medicine are coming from an unexpected place: a veterinary school. At North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Xinxia Peng is building a reputation as the scientist researchers call when they need answers to biological questions that are too complicated for traditional laboratory methods alone.
Peng, a professor whose work spans infectious diseases, genomics and computational biology, has become a key collaborator on projects investigating organ transplant rejection, HIV vaccines, chlamydia infections and reproductive biology. His laboratory recently secured roles in two major National Institutes of Health-funded projects, including a $3.3 million study examining the molecular mechanisms of early pregnancy and a $530,000 research subaward supporting efforts to improve organ transplant outcomes…