Akash focuses on the pathological signaling of β2-adrenergic receptor in Alzheimer's disease. He will take advantage of transgenic approaches to understand the GRK and PKA mediated β2-adrenergic receptor in neurodegeneration and brain inflammation in the mouse model of Alzheimer's disease with overexpression of human familial mutant APP and PSEN genes. 

Yunfeng is exploring the novel signaling paradigm induced by thyroid hormone in metabolism.  

Additionally, Yunfeng is working on nongenomic actions of thyroid hormones and the impacts on cardiac cAMP-PKA pathway in the heart.

Wen has traveled around the world. After finishing her BS and MS in Shanghai, she won a National Scholarship and moved to pursue her PhD training in Hannover, Germany. She then joined X-lab at UCDavis/UCLA.

Wen is taking a very challenging project to study nuclear structure and gene regulation in adult myocytes and its implications in cardiac development and regeneration in heart failure. Outside the lab, she enjoys going to the gym and traveling.

 Zhenduo is a postdoc fellow after obtaining his PhD from Anhui Medical University in 2026. His research focuses on ER calcium regulation and stress in HFpEF, and the therapeutic potential of PDE4D inhibitors in treating HFpEF. 

Outside the lab, He enjoys cooking and often prepares traditional Chinese dishes.

Damini completed her PhD in Biochemistry in India and has done postdoctoral work at UC Merced and Duke. At UCLA, she is studying GPCR-targeted PROTACs. She is excited to explore new directions in GPCR pharmacology.

Sherif Bahriz, sailing from Egypt, is investigating new mechanisms of PKA activation across the brain, heart, and adipose tissue. His research focuses on how PKA signaling influences heart failure and metabolic diseases, with the goal of identifying potential new therapeutic targets.

Jing obtained her Ph.D. from Xiamen University in China. She will study how amyloid peptides interact with the β2-adrenergic receptor, which contributes to pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. She will design de novo protein binder to block the binding of amyloid peptide to  β2-adrenergic receptor without affecting normal catecholamine action, with the goal of identifying potential drugs for AD therapy.

Madhuri joined the Xiang Lab as a Postdoctoral Scholar in August 2026. After completing her Ph.D. in India and postdoctoral research training at UCSF, she moved to UCLA to further expand her research expertise. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling and exploring international cuisines.