Xi Qiao

Xi Qiao, PhD

Languages spoken: English, Mandarin Chinese

Academic Information

Departments Primary - Internal Medicine

Divisions: Epidemiology

I am currently a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Utah and an associate member at the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). Before joining the University of Utah and HCI, I was a postdoctoral researcher worked with Dr. Liangliang Zhang Case Western Reserve University. I received my Ph.D. in Statistics from Western Michigan University in 2023, an M.S. in Statistics from West Virginia University in 2019, and a B.A. in Economic Journalism from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

For more information, please visit [Xi's personal webpage].

Research Statement

My research interests lie at the intersection of statistical methodology and biomedical applications, with a focus on advancing analytical tools for high-dimensional data. Current work includes developing causal mediation methods for high-dimensional omics studies and Bayesian dynamic borrowing approaches to incorporate historical control data in clinical trials. Areas of application span microbiome and epigenetic data analysis, as well as deconvolution techniques for spatial transcriptomics, with the goal of supporting cancer prevention and enhancing therapeutic strategies.

Education History

Postdoctoral Training Case Western Reserve University
 Postdoctoral Research Associate
Doctoral Training Western Michigan University
 PhD
Graduate Training West Virginia University
 MS
Other Training Fontys University of Applied Science
Undergraduate Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
 BA

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Qiao X, Zhang L, Hoffman EA, Mastin GE, Hileman CO, Kallianpur AR, Wang M, Ellis RJ, Koletar SL Palella FJ, Tassiopoulos KK, Landay AL, Kapahi P, Galligan JJ, Kalayjian RC HAILO Study Consortium (2025). Glycation metabolites predict incident age-related comorbidities and mortality in older people with HIV. Geroscience.
  2. Qiao X, Ngo D, Straight B, Needham BL, Hilton CE, and Naugle A (2024). A Bayesian high-dimensional mediation analysis for multilevel genome-wide epigenetic data. J Appl Stat, 1-19.
  3. Qiao X, Straight B, Ngo D, Hilton CE, Owuor Olungah C, Naugle A, Lalancette C, Needham BL (2024). Severe drought exposure in utero associates to children's epigenetic age acceleration in a global climate change hot spot. Nat Commun, 15(1), 4140. (Read full article)
  4. Straight B, Qiao X, Ngo D, Hilton CE, Olungah CO, Naugle A, Lalancette C, Needham BL (2022). Epigenetic mechanisms underlying the association between maternal climate stress and child growth: characterizing severe drought and its impact on a Kenyan community engaging in a climate change-sensitive livelihood. Epigenetics, 17(13), 2421-2433. (Read full article)
  5. Straight B, Hilton CE, Naugle A, Olungah CO, Ngo D, Qiao X, and Needham BL (2022). Drought, psychosocial stress, and ecogeographical patterning: Tibial growth and body shape in Samburu (Kenyan) pastoralist children. Am J Biol Anthropol, 178(4), 574-592.

Review

  1. Liu R, Qiao X, Shi Y, Peterson CB, Bush WS, Cominelli F, Wang M, Zhang L (2024). Constructing phylogenetic trees for microbiome data analysis: A mini-review. [Review]. Comput Struct Biotechnol J, 23, 3859-3868. (Read full article)