I am a practicing neuropathologist and assistant professor in the Pathology Department at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. I received my medical degree from Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China, PhD degree from Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, and pathology residency and fellowship training at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.

My main areas of clinical expertise and research focus on the diagnosis of brain tumors and peripheral muscle and nerve diseases. UTSW Medical Center is the largest referring center for muscle and nerve biopsies in Texas and receives biopsies specimens from over 100 institutions over a 6-state area. My research focuses on the development of novel immunohistochemical tools to improve the diagnostic yield of muscle and nerve biopsies. We are the first and only clinical laboratory in the United States that has validated Morin stain for the diagnosis of macrophagic myofasciitis, a treatable, vaccine related inflammatory condition. More recently, we published distinguishing features of diabetic neuropathy using C5b-9 immunostain in peripheral nerve biopsies, this immunostain may significantly increase the diagnostic yield of peripheral nerve biopsies.

Meningioma is another area of my key research interest. Meningioma arises from the covering of the brain and is the most common central nervous system tumor. Most are benign. However, approximately 5-10% fail surgery and radiation therapy and undergo treatment refractory progression. There is currently no effective chemotherapy for meningioma. We have identified tumor necrosis as the dominant predictor for post radiation recurrence in meningioma, and propose using carbonic anhydrase IX as a marker for radioresistant cells. Current research focuses on mechanism and new therapeutic approaches for meniningioma with radiorefractory progression.