Xinjiang Cai, MD, PhD
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Xinjiang Cai, MD, PhD

(he/him)
  • Cardiology
Cardiovascular Center | 100 Medical Plaza, Suite 545, Los Angeles, CA 90095
310-267-5994
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About

Dr. Cai is a cardiologist and physician scientist at UCLA Health. He is passionate about improving Patient-Centered Clinical Care and Cardiovascular Health in patients and the general population. He is also enthusiastic about Basic and Translational Cardiovascular Research which will help improve patient care. He is a recipient of the K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award from the National Institutes of Health.

He completed his Cardiology Fellowship in the Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) Program at the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to that, he received Internal Medicine Residency Training and served as a PGY-3 Chief Resident at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (VA) in New York.

Dr. Cai obtained his PhD degree in Cardiovascular Molecular Biology at the University of Calgary, Canada, followed by basic research and translational medicine training at Duke University Medical Center, NYU Medical Center, and Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. During his residency and fellowship training, he continued his passion on basic and translational research as a Research Fellow at the Cardiovascular Research Centers at Mount Sinai and UCLA.

@XinjiangCai(Link is external) (Link opens in new window)

Languages

English, Chinese - Mandarin

Education

Medical Board Certifications

Cardiovascular Disease, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2023
Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2018

Fellowship

Cardiovascular Disease, University of California, Los Angeles, 2022

Residency

Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount. Sinai (Bronx), 2018

Degrees

PhD, University of Calgary, 2004
MD, Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, 1996

Recognitions

  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, K08: Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award, 06/01/2023-05/31/2028
  • Tibor Fabian Research Award, University of California, Los Angeles, 2019-2023
  • Fellow-in-training Travel Award, American College of Cardiology, 2019
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Locations

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Research

Interests

  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Heart Failure
  • Cellular Signaling
  • Vascular Biology
  • Vascular Calcification
  • Cardiac Amyloidosis

Publications

Link to a complete list of publications(Link is external)

  1. *Cai X, White Q, Wang DR, DeFilippi CR, Bertoni AG, Wu CO, Liu K, Lima JAC, Budoff MJ, Fonarow GC, Watson KE, McClelland RL, Yang EH. Cardiovascular Risks and Outcomes Among Chinese American Immigrants: Insights From the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Sep 17;13(18):e037114. (*Corresponding author)
  2. Cai X, Zhao Y, Yang Y, Wu X, Zhang L, Ma JA, Ji J, Boström KI, Yao Y. GSK3β Inhibition Ameliorates Atherosclerotic Calcification. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jul 19;24(14):11638.
  3. Cai X, Allison MA, Ambale-Venkatesh B, Jorgensen NW, Lima JAC, Muse ED, McClelland RL, Shea S, Lebeche D. (2022) Resistin and risks of incident heart failure subtypes and cardiac fibrosis: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. European Society of Cardiology: Heart Failure. 9, 3452-3460.
  4. *Cai, X., Shahandeh, N., Ji, J., Finn, J.P., Fishbein, G.A., Biniwale, R.M., Ardehali, A., Sayah, D.M., Yang, E.H. (2022) Ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm: a rare complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement and thoracic surgery. Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging. 15, e014076. (*Corresponding author)
  5. Yao, J., Ma, F., Zhang, L., Zhu, C., Jumabay, M., Yao, Z., Wang, L., Cai, X., Zhang, D., Qiao, X., Shivkumar, K., Pellegrini, M., Yao, Y., Wu, X., Bostrom, K.I. (2022) Single-cell RNA-seq identifies dynamic cardiac transition program from adipose derived cells induced by leukemia inhibitory factor. Stem Cells. 40, 932-948.
  6. Marchant, J.S., Gunaratne, G.S., Cai, X., Slama, J.T., Patel, S. (2022) NAADP-binding proteins find their identity. Trends in Biochemical Sciences. 47, 235-249.
  7. Li, Z.H., King, T.P., Ayong, L., Asady, B., Cai, X., Rahman, T., Vella, S.A., Patel, S., Moreno, S.N. (2021) A plastid two-pore channel essential for inter-organelle communication and growth of Toxoplasma gondii.  Nature Communications. 12, 5802.
  8. Yao, J., Wu, X., Qiao, X., Zhang, D., Zhang, L., Ma, J.A., Cai, X., Bostrom, K.I., Yao, Y. (2021) Shifting osteogenesis in vascular calcification. JCI Insight, 6, e143023.
  9. Zhang, D., Qiao, X., Yao, J., Zhang, L., Wu, X., Ma, J., Cai, X., Bostrom, K., Yao, Y. (2021) Pronethalol reduces Sox2 (SRY [Sex-Determining Region Y]-Box 2) to ameliorate vascular calcification. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 41, 931–933.
  10. Qiao, X., Zhang, D., Zhang, L., Yao, J., Wu, X., Cai, X., Bostrom, K., Yao, Y. (2020) Pronethalol decreases RBPJk to reduce Sox2 in cerebral arteriovenous malformation. Vascular Medicine. 25, 569-571.

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Blue Shield of California
  • Centivo
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Health Net of California
  • Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
  • L.A. Care
  • Medicare Advantage
  • MultiPlan
  • UFCM Health System
  • Prime Health Services
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare

The list of health care plans above may not be comprehensive and could change. 
Please contact your benefits coordinator or health insurance company directly to verify coverage.

Visit our health insurance information page for more details.

Recognitions

  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, K08: Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award, 06/01/2023-05/31/2028
  • Tibor Fabian Research Award, University of California, Los Angeles, 2019-2023
  • Fellow-in-training Travel Award, American College of Cardiology, 2019
  • PAGNY Research Day Award for an outstanding research presentation, 2017