School of Biomedical Sciences

Mr Weizhi Xu

PhD student
School of Biomedical Sciences
Weizhi Xu

BSc, Master of Molecular Biology

After receiving a Master’s of Molecular Biology at the University of Queensland, I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for one year. Since 2021, I have been deeply interested in brain energy metabolism specifically in epilepsy. Recognizing the significant knowledge gaps in this field, I believe that investigating alterations in glucose metabolism in epileptogenic brain areas can contribute to the development of new anti-seizure medications and therapeutic strategies. To pursue this passion, I joined the lab of A/Prof. Karin Borges to undertake my PhD, focusing on brain glucose metabolism in epilepsy models. Under Karin’s guidance, I have acquired and refined a wide range of essential skills, including performing animal seizure models, analysing protein and mRNA levels, immunohistochemistry, and confocal microscopy. We have also established methods to investigate glucose uptake in cell cultures. My multidisciplinary expertise has proven invaluable in designing and interpreting experiments effectively. Collaboration has been a cornerstone of my PhD experience. Working with Metabolomics Australia, Nela Durisic, Gerald A Dienel, Siew Chai and Philip Thompson has significantly progress my research. To date, I have contributed to six publications as either first author or co-author during my PhD. Beyond laboratory work, I have actively participated in international conferences, presenting my research and engaging with the broader scientific community. I was honoured to receive travel awards from 14th and 15th International Conference on Brain Energy Metabolism, which enabled me to present my work in the USA (2022) and Slovenia (2024). I delivered oral and poster presentations on topics such as insulin signalling and glucose transporters in a mouse model of epilepsy, as well as the anticonvulsant effects of IRAP inhibitors. Additionally, I presented my studies orally at IRAP 2024 International Symposium in Italy, and through poster at Brain & Brain PET 2023 Symposium and Australia Neuroscience Society 2023 Conference. These opportunities, generously supported by Karin, SBMS and conference community, allowed me to engage with leading experts in the field and refine my project through valuable feedback. Currently I am undertaking a placement at Mater Centre for Neurosciences, where I participate in case discussions reviewing data from patients with epilepsy, and observe neurosurgical procedures. This experience has deepened my understanding of translational research and the clinical aspects of epilepsy management.

Publications

Book Chapters (2)
Journal Articles (14)

Book Chapters

Neal, Elliott S., Xu, Weizhi and Borges, Karin (2022). Dietary management of canine epilepsy. A practical guide to seizure disorders in dogs and cats. (pp. 299-310) edited by Luisa De Risio and Karen Munana. Palm Beach, FL, United States: Edra Publsihing.
Han, Felicity Y., McDonald, Tanya, Xu, Weizhi and Borges, Karin (2021). Alterations in mitochondrial glucose carbon metabolism in epilepsy and targeted metabolic treatments. Clinical bioenergetics: from pathophysiology to clinical translation. (pp. 653-677) edited by Sergej Ostojic. London, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819621-2.00029-2

Journal Articles

Neal, Elliott S., Xu, Weizhi and Borges, Karin (2024). Metabolic aspects of genetic ion channel epilepsies. Journal of Neurochemistry, 168 (12), 3911-3935. doi: 10.1111/jnc.15938
Xu, Weizhi and Borges, Karin (2024). Case for supporting astrocyte energetics in glucose transporter 1 deficiency syndrome. Epilepsia, 65 (8), 2213-2226. doi: 10.1111/epi.18013
Armstrong, Oliver J., Neal, Elliott S., Vidovic, Diana, Xu, Weizhi and Borges, Karin (2024). Transient anticonvulsant effects of time-restricted feeding in the 6-Hz mouse model. Epilepsy and Behavior, 151 109618. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109618
Xu, Weizhi, Neal, Elliott S., Plan, Manuel and Borges, Karin (2022). Glyceryl triacetate feeding in mice increases plasma acetate levels but has no anticonvulsant effects in acute electrical seizure models. Epilepsy and Behavior, 137 (Part A) 108964, 108964. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108964
Xu, Weizhi, Kumar, Vinod, Cui, Cedric S., Li, Xaria X., Whittaker, Andrew K., Xu, Zhi Ping, Smith, Maree T., Woodruff, Trent M. and Han, Felicity Y (2022). Success in navigating hurdles to oral delivery of a bioactive peptide complement antagonist through use of nanoparticles to increase bioavailability and in vivo efficacy. Advanced Therapeutics, 5 (12) 2200109, 2200109. doi: 10.1002/adtp.202200109
Chang, Yixin, Wang, Qiaoyun, Xu, Weizhi, Huang, Xumin, Xu, Xin, Han, Felicity Y., Qiao, Ruirui, Ediriweera, Gayathri R., Peng, Hui, Fu, Changkui, Liu, Kun and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2022). Low-fouling gold nanorod theranostic agents enabled by a sulfoxide polymer coating. Biomacromolecules, 23 (9), 3866-3874. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00696
Xu, Weizhi, Maqbool, Faheem, Kumar, Vinod, Falconer, James R., Cui, Cedric S., Woodruff, Trent M., Borges, Karin, Whittaker, Andrew K., Smith, Maree T. and Han, Felicity Y. (2021). Sustained-release ketamine-loaded lipid-particulate system: in vivo assessment in mice. Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 12 (10), 2518-2526. doi: 10.1007/s13346-021-01093-3
Han, Felicity Y., Xu, Weizhi, Kumar, Vinod, Cui, Cedric S., Li, Xaria, Jiang, Xingyu, Woodruff, Trent M., Whittaker, Andrew K. and Smith, Maree T. (2021). Optimisation of a microfluidic method for the delivery of a small peptide. Pharmaceutics, 13 (9) 1505, 1505. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091505
Xu, Weizhi, Zhao, Zonglan, Falconer, James, Whittaker, Andrew K., Popat, Amirali, Smith, Maree T., Kumeria, Tushar and Han, Felicity Y. (2021). Sustained release ketamine-loaded porous silicon-PLGA microparticles prepared by an optimized supercritical CO2 process. Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 12 (3), 676-694. doi: 10.1007/s13346-021-00991-w
Zhu, Minze, Whittaker, Andrew K., Jiang, Xingyu, Tang, Rupei, Li, Xuanyu, Xu, Weizhi, Fu, Changkui, Smith, Maree T. and Han, Felicity Y. (2020). Use of microfluidics to fabricate bioerodable lipid hybrid nanoparticles containing hydromorphone or ketamine for the relief of intractable pain. Pharmaceutical Research, 37 (10) 211, 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s11095-020-02939-0
Yu, Ye, Xu, Weizhi, Huang, Xumin, Xu, Xin, Qiao, Ruirui, Li, Yuhuan, Han, Felicity, Peng, Hui, Davis, Thomas P., Fu, Changkui and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2020). Proteins conjugated with sulfoxide-containing polymers show reduced macrophage cellular uptake and improved pharmacokinetics. ACS Macro Letters, 9 (6), 799-805. doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00291
Han, Felicity Y., Liu, Yun, Kumar, Vinod, Xu, Weizhi, Yang, Guangze, Zhao, Chun-Xia, Woodruff, Trent M., Whittaker, Andrew K. and Smith, Maree T. (2020). Sustained-release ketamine-loaded nanoparticles fabricated by sequential nanoprecipitation. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 581 119291, 119291. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119291
Fu, Changkui, Demir, Baris, Alcantara, Sheilajen, Kumar, Vinod, Han, Felicity, Kelly, Hannah, Tan, Xiao, Yu, Ye, Xu, Weizhi, Zhao, Jiacheng, Zhang, Cheng, Peng, Hui, Boyer, Cyrille, Woodruff, Trent, Kent, Stephen, Searles, Debra and Whittaker, Andrew (2020). Low-fouling fluoropolymers for bioconjugation and in vivo tracking. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59 (12), 4729-4735. doi: 10.1002/anie.201914119
Fu, Changkui, Demir, Baris, Alcantara, Sheilajen, Kumar, Vinod, Han, Felicity, Kelly, Hannah G., Tan, Xiao, Yu, Ye, Xu, Weizhi, Zhao, Jiacheng, Zhang, Cheng, Peng, Hui, Boyer, Cyrille, Woodruff, Trent M., Kent, Stephen J., Searles, Debra J. and Whittaker, Andrew K. (2020). Low‐fouling fluoropolymers for bioconjugation and in vivo tracking. Angewandte Chemie, 132 (12), 4759-4765. doi: 10.1002/ange.201914119