Prof. Xueqiang Peng | Cancer Research | Best Researcher Award

Researcher at The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University | China

Prof. Xueqiang Peng is an accomplished Associate Professor and Associate Research Fellow at The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University. With a strong foundation in surgery and public health, he leads groundbreaking research into tumor cell stress, extracellular vesicles (EVs), and immune escape mechanisms in cancer. His work integrates molecular biology, immunology, and biomedical engineering, aiming to unravel how cancer cells exploit vesicle-mediated pathways for immune evasion and progression. Prof. Peng has authored over 20 SCI-indexed publications as first or corresponding author and holds an H-index of 25, with 1,978+ citations. He has successfully secured over 1.35 million RMB in competitive research funding, serving as Principal Investigator on eight major projects funded by national, provincial, and municipal bodies. His international collaborations with renowned institutions such as Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), AiBST (Zimbabwe), and Nihon University (Japan) further reflect the global relevance of his research. A recognized young talent at both university and city levels, he has been honored as an Outstanding Young and Middle-aged Scientific & Technological Talent and Senior Talent of Shenyang. His pioneering work in EV-based liquid biopsy and colorectal cancer diagnostics is accelerating translational oncology, bridging lab research and clinical applications.

Publication Profile

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Education

Prof. Xueqiang Peng earned his Doctor of Surgery degree and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Public Health at China Medical University, a leading institution in clinical and translational medicine. His multidisciplinary academic training provided a solid foundation for his focus on tumor biology, extracellular vesicle biology, and public health challenges in cancer management. His education not only emphasized core surgical and biomedical sciences but also included in-depth exposure to experimental design, statistical analysis, and public health systems—equipping him to bridge basic science with clinical applications. The integration of clinical surgery and molecular research during his formative academic years significantly shaped his ability to pursue translational cancer research. His postdoctoral training further deepened his expertise in immune escape mechanisms and tumor microenvironment interactions, laying the groundwork for his specialization in hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer. His early academic trajectory reflects a strong commitment to combining evidence-based medicine with innovative approaches such as nanomedicine and vesicle-based diagnostics. As a result, his education has propelled him into leadership roles in research and has enabled extensive interdisciplinary collaboration across biomedical and clinical fields.

Professional Experience

Prof. Xueqiang Peng currently serves as an Associate Professor and Associate Research Fellow at The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, where he conducts research and mentors graduate students in translational oncology. Over the years, he has accumulated diverse experience in surgical research, molecular diagnostics, and extracellular vesicle biology. As a Principal Investigator, he has led eight major research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Liaoning Province, and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation. His work has spanned both basic and clinical research, with a strong emphasis on tumor cell-derived vesicles, immune evasion, and early cancer detection. Notably, he has coordinated multi-level collaboration between city hospitals and academic institutions, contributing to a city-university research pipeline. Prof. Peng’s engagement with international collaborators from Sweden, Japan, and Zimbabwe has further enriched his research perspectives and extended his professional network. Recognized by his institution as a Young Key Talent and by the city of Shenyang as a Senior Talent, he remains committed to advancing cancer diagnostics and treatment strategies through rigorous investigation and translational research.

Research Interest

Prof. Xueqiang Peng’s research interests lie at the intersection of tumor biology, extracellular vesicle (EV) signaling, and immune escape mechanisms in cancer. His investigations primarily focus on how tumor cells utilize stress-induced signaling pathways and vesicle-mediated transport to communicate with immune cells and modulate the tumor microenvironment. A key area of his research is understanding multivesicular body (MVB) biogenesis, EV cargo sorting, and the molecular triggers behind amphisome-mediated EV release. His team explores how non-coding RNAs, EV membrane proteins, and mutations such as CTNNB1 or p53 influence immune escape and promote cancer progression, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer. Prof. Peng also pioneers the application of machine learning in analyzing EV content for use in liquid biopsy, contributing to non-invasive cancer diagnostics. Moreover, his interest in nanomedicine and organoid platforms supports preclinical modeling and therapeutic evaluation. These integrated research domains align with his overarching goal of translating cellular and molecular findings into clinically applicable diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Research Skills

Prof. Xueqiang Peng brings a robust and interdisciplinary skill set to cancer research, with strong expertise in molecular oncology, EV biology, bioinformatics, and immunological assays. His technical skills encompass exosome isolation and characterization, single-EV analysis, western blotting, RT-qPCR, confocal microscopy, and flow cytometry for immune cell profiling. He is proficient in conducting mechanistic studies involving gene editing (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9), RNA interference, and immune modulation assays, particularly in relation to macrophage polarization, CD8+ T cell autophagy, and cytokine signaling pathways. Prof. Peng is also skilled in high-throughput sequencing data interpretation and applying machine learning algorithms to decode EV membrane protein signatures for early cancer detection. His methodological strength in vesicle loading mechanisms, especially in the context of tumor-derived exosomes, is critical to uncovering how cancer cells evade immune surveillance. He has also utilized animal models and 3D organoid systems to validate molecular hypotheses in vivo and in vitro. This unique combination of wet-lab and computational competencies enables him to drive innovative, hypothesis-driven research in oncology.

Awards and Honors

Prof. Xueqiang Peng has received numerous prestigious recognitions throughout his career, underscoring his excellence and leadership in cancer research. He has been honored as a Young Key Talent of China Medical University, a title reserved for exceptional early-career scholars. Additionally, he was selected as an Outstanding Young and Middle-aged Scientific & Technological Talent and Senior Talent of Shenyang, acknowledging his significant scientific contributions at the municipal level. These accolades reflect both academic merit and societal impact. Prof. Peng was also a recipient of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation General Program Award, which supports highly competitive postdoctoral research across disciplines. He has consistently been awarded competitive research funding from national and provincial sources, totaling over 1.35 million RMB, further demonstrating trust in his research capabilities. His involvement in the Youth Committee of the Translational Medicine Branch of the Chinese Society for Microcirculation highlights his influence in the professional community and dedication to fostering next-generation researchers. These honors affirm his status as a rising leader in the fields of EV biology, cancer diagnostics, and tumor immunology.

Author Metrics

• Total Citations: 1,987+

• Citing Documents: 1,856

• Total Publications: 42

• H-index: 24

These metrics highlight Prof. Xueqiang Peng’s significant impact in the fields of cancer biology, extracellular vesicle research, and translational oncology. His H-index of 24 reflects a consistent and influential publication record, with at least 24 papers having received 24 or more citations. The breadth of his citation base—nearly 2,000 citations across over 1,850 unique documents—demonstrates the broad recognition and scholarly reach of his work across the international research community. His author metrics affirm his status as an emerging leader in the field of tumor immunology and vesicle-mediated cellular communication.

Publications Top Notes

1. Engineered nanoparticles for precise targeted drug delivery and enhanced therapeutic efficacy in cancer immunotherapy.
Citations: 49
Year: 2024

2. mRNA vaccine in cancer therapy: Current advance and future outlook.
Citations: 89
Year: 2023

3. Non-coding RNA derived from extracellular vesicles in cancer immune escape: Biological functions and potential clinical applications.
Citations: 34
Year: 2021

4. Focus on the morphogenesis, fate and the role in tumor progression of multivesicular bodies.
Citations: 45
Year: 2020

5. Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR promotes exosome secretion by regulating RAB35 and SNAP23 in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Citations: 255
Year: 2019

Conclusion

Prof. Xueqiang Peng is a highly distinguished scholar making impactful contributions at the forefront of oncology, immunology, and vesicle biology. His innovative research into the roles of extracellular vesicles in tumor immune escape and early diagnosis has opened new avenues in both basic science and translational medicine. Backed by substantial research funding and international collaborations, he has built a dynamic research portfolio that bridges molecular mechanisms with clinical relevance. His academic productivity, evidenced by over 20 high-impact SCI papers and a citation index approaching 2,000, confirms his scientific rigor and relevance. As a mentor, collaborator, and investigator, he continues to lead with purpose, pushing boundaries in liquid biopsy, EV diagnostics, and nanomedicine applications. Recognized as a young leader in academic and municipal circles, Prof. Peng exemplifies the fusion of excellence in research, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. His ongoing projects and research vision place him at the cutting edge of precision oncology, aiming to improve cancer detection, prognosis, and treatment for patients worldwide.