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Xinnian Dong

Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Biology
Biology
Box 90338, Durham, NC 27708-1000
4213 French Family Science Center, Durham, NC 27708

Research Interests


Xinnian Dong's lab is interested in studying host-microbe interactions with the focus on elucidating how plants defend against pathogen challenge under different environmental conditions. The current projects include (1) Studying the signal transduction mechanism leading to the establishment of systemic acquired resistance, which is a long-lasting broad-spectrum resistance mechanism in plants. (2) Understanding how plants reprogram their transcriptional and translational activities to mount immune responses. (3) Determining how plants use the circadian clock to control the immune responses based on their cellular metabolic activities as well as on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. (4) Examining cellular processes, such as nuclear transport and formation of biomolecular condensates, in plant defense. (5) Developing new strategies in engineering broad-spectrum disease resistance for agricultural applications.

Selected Grants


Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2026

Mechanistic Insights into the Plant Disease Resistance Mediated by NPR1

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2026

Salicylic Acid in Immunity and Health: A Small Phytohormone with Big Physiological Impacts

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2016 - 2026

Collaborative: RoL: Molecular Patterns and Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Redox Sensing and Signaling Networks

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by Mississippi State University · 2021 - 2025

Genetic and Genomics Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2025

Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2021 - 2026

Mechanistic Insights into the Plant Disease Resistance Mediated by NPR1

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2026

Salicylic Acid in Immunity and Health: A Small Phytohormone with Big Physiological Impacts

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2016 - 2026

Collaborative: RoL: Molecular Patterns and Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Redox Sensing and Signaling Networks

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by Mississippi State University · 2021 - 2025

Genetic and Genomics Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2025

Elucidation of Translational Regulatory Mechanisms of Plant Immune

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2017 - 2025

Using auxin to understand context-dependent hormone response

FellowshipCo-Mentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2023 - 2023

Genetics Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1979 - 2020

Organization and Function of Cellular Structure

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1975 - 2020

Characterization of the Arabidopsis tRNAome in Pathogen Triggered Immunity

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2019

Innovation Corps - National Innovation Network Teams Program (I-CorpsTM Teams)

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2017 - 2019

Dynamic regulation of salicylic acid biosynthesis and perception in plant immunity

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2004 - 2018

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation · 2011 - 2017

The Interplay Between the Circadian Clock and Plant Immune Mechanisms

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2012 - 2017

Intercellular signal transport in plant immune response

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by US-Israel Binational Agricultural R&D Fund · 2014 - 2016

Arabidopsis 2010: Global Analysis of Plant Disease Resistance Pathways

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2001 - 2015

The 22nd International Conference on Arabidopsis Research

ConferencePrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2011 - 2012

The Arabidopsis SNI1 complex regulate both gene transcription and DNA recombination during the defense response

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2008 - 2012

A Systems Approach to Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance Using NPR1-Mediated Gene Expression

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Agriculture · 2007 - 2010

Chromosome Modification and Transcription Repression in Regulation of Systemic Acquired Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2005 - 2009

Characterization of the direct-target genes of NPR1 in systemic acquired resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Agriculture · 2003 - 2007

Characterization of Negative Regulators of NPR1-Mediated Systemic Acquired Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 1998 - 2006

Identification of Signaling Components in NPR1-independent Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Agriculture · 2000 - 2004

Further Dissection of Signalling Pathways Leading To Disease Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS) · 1998 - 2001

Function of NPR1 in Plant Disease Resistance

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 1998 - 2000

Molecular and Genetic Studies of Mutants Insensitive to SAR-inducing Signals

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Agriculture · 1995 - 1998

Molecular Genetic Analysis of Systemic Acquired Resistance in A. thaliana

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS) · 1993 - 1995

External Relationships


  • Aferna Inc.
  • Inari
  • Upstream Biotechnology

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.