The Jiang Lab

Photo of Dr. Wei Jiang 

Wei Jiang, M.D.

Professor
Microbiology and Immunology

2023 – present, Professor with Tenured, Microbiology and Immunology; Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
2018 - 2022, Associate Professor, Microbiology and Immunology; Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
2012 - 2018, Assistant Professor, Microbiology and Immunology; Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
2008 - 2012, Instructor, Infectious Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
2002 - 2008, Research Associate, Infectious Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

Education
2008 MS, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
2001 MS, Immunology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
1997 MD, Internal Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

Contact Info
jianw@musc.edu
Ashley Ave. BSB- 214C, Charleston, SC, 29425
Lab: 843-792-6310; Office: 843-876-2457

Research Interests

B cell dysfunction and autoimmunity in HIV and COVID-19 immunopathogenesis
Microbiome and immunopathogenesis
Addictive drug abuse, microbiome, and Neuro-disorders
Human translational clinical research using human blood, saliva, spinal fluid, and tissue samples. Animals will be used to verify the finding from human research.

Recent Publications

Johnson D, Jiang W *. Infectious Diseases, autoantibodies, and autoimmunity. Journal of Autoimmunity. 2022 Dec 2;102962. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102962. PMID: 36470769

Luo Z, Wu Yx, Meng Z, Martin L, Zhang L, Ogunrinde E, Zhou Z, Qin S, Wan Z, Westerink M, Warth S, Liu H, Jin P, Stroncek D, Li QZ, Wang E, Wu X, Heath S, Li Z, Alekseyenko A, Jiang W*. Systemic translocation of Staphylococcus drives autoantibody production in HIV disease. Microbiome. 2019. Feb 14;7(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s40168-019-0646-1. PMID: 30764863

Luo Z, Health SL, Li M, Yang H, Wu Y, Collins M, Deeks SG, Martin JN, Scott A*, Jiang W*. Variation in blood microbial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contributes to immune reconstitution in response to suppressive antiretroviral therapy in HIV. eBioMedicine-The Lancet Discovery Science. 2022 Apr 29; 80:104037. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104037. PMID: 35500539

Ning W, Cheng D, Howe PH, Bian C, Kamen DL, Luo Z, Fu X, Ogunrinde E, Yang L, Wang X, Li QZ, Oates J, Zhang W, White D, Wan Z, Gilkeson GS*, Jiang W*. Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan (PGN) induces pathogenic autoantibody production via autoreactive B cell receptor clonal selection, implications in systemic lupus erythematosus. Journal of Autoimmunity. 2022. Jul 7;131:102860. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102860. PMID: 35810689

Ning W, Xu W, Cong X, Fan H, Gilkeson G, Wu X, Hughes H, Jiang W*. COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 induces autoantibodies against type I interferons in a healthy woman. Journal of Autoimmunity. 2022 Aug 18;132:102896. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102896. PMID: 36029717

Jiang W *, Johnson D, Ruth A, Heather H, Xu W, Cong X, Wu X, Fan H, Andersson LM, Robertson J, Gisslén M. COVID-19 is associated with bystander polyclonal autoreactive B cell activation as reflected by a broad autoantibody production, but none is linked to disease severity. J Med Virol. 2022 Sep 10. doi: 10.1002/jmv.28134. PMID: 36086941

Luo Z, Fitting S, Robinson C, Benitez A, Li M, Wu Y, Fu X, Amato D, Ning W, Funderburg N, Wang X, Yu X, Wagner A, Cong X, Xu W, Maas K, McRae-Clark A, Hamlett E*, Jiang W*. Chronic cannabis smoking-enriched oral pathobiont drives behavioral changes and increases β-amyloid protein production in the brain. eBioMedicine-The Lancet Discovery Science. 2021 Nov 23;74:103701. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103701. PMID: 34826801

Luo Z*, Li M, Li T, Lv Z, Ye Z, Cisneros WJ, Zhang J, Yuan L, Hultquist JF, Migueles ST, Zhu J, Jiang W*. Differential expression of CREM/ICER isoforms is associated with the spontaneous control of HIV infection. mBio. 2022. Jan 4;13(1):e0197921. Doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01979-21. PMID: 35041523

Fu X, Cheng D, Luo Z, Wagner A, Fitting S, Cong X, Xu W, Maas K, Wan Z, Zhu J, Zhou Z, Stoops W, McRae-Clark A, Jiang W*. Oral enrichment of Streptococcus and its role in systemic inflammation related to monocyte activation in humans with cocaine use disorder. Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. 2021 Aug 26. doi: 10.1007/s11481-021-10007-6. PMID: 34448131

Ogunrinde E, Zhou Z, Luo Z, Alekseyenko A, Li QZ, Macedo D, Kamen DL, Oates JC, Gilkeson GS, Jiang W*. A link between plasma microbial translocation, microbiome, and autoantibody development in first-degree relatives of systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2019. May 20. doi: 10.1002/art.40935. PMID:31106972

Luo Z, Li Z, Martin L, Wan Z, Meissner EG, Espinosa E, Wu H, Yu XC, Fu PF, Westerink MA, Kilby JM, Wu J, Huang L, Heath SL, Li ZH, Jiang W*. Pathological role of anti-CD4 antibodies in HIV-infected immunologic non-responders under viral suppressive antiretroviral therapy. J Infect Dis. 2017 Jul 1;216(1):82-91. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jix223. PMID:28498953; PMCID:PMC5853506


Research Support

NIDA R01DA055921 (JIT) Jiang (contact PI) & Fitting (multiPI) 4/01/2023-3/31/2028
Mechanisms of chronic cannabis use-associated oral microbiome on central nervous system
abnormalities.
The purpose of this study is to determine the role of cannabis smoking-associated oral microbiome in
cognition in the general population.
Role on Project: PI

R03DA057164 Jiang (PI) 8/4/2022-8/3/2024
Investigate B cell perturbations and immune reconstitution failure in response to antiretroviral therapy
in HIV-infected cocaine users.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of cocaine use in poor CD4+ T cell recovery in HIV
patients on viral suppressive ART.
Role on Project: PI

I01 CX002422 Jiang (PI) 3/1/2022-2/28/2026
VA Medical Center CSRD Merit
Investigate the mechanism of autoreactive B cell-mediated immunological failure despite virologic suppression in HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy.
The purpose of this study is to determine the molecular mechanism of anti-CD4 IgG-producing B cells and pathologic anti-CD4 autoantibodies from immune non-responders in HIV.
Role on Project: PI

R01DA055523 multiPI Fitting (contact PI) & Jiang 9/29/2022-7/30/2027
Investigating the effect of oral microbiome on cognition in HIV-infected chronic cannabis users.
The purpose of this study is to determine the role of cannabis smoking-associated oral microbiome in
cognition in HIV patients.
Role on Project: PI

Lupus Research Alliance, Global Team Science Award Sanz & Gilkeson (PI) 11/1/2021-9/30/2024
B cell Phenotypes in African American Women with Lupus
This is a three center (MUSC, Emory, UAB) to define the heterogeneity of B cell subsets, B cell epigenetics, B cell responses and the plasma microbiome in AA lupus patients. Over 800 lupus patients and controls will be recruited for screening studies with others having more in-depth evaluations of function. MUSC will be providing patients, providing methodology services and doing the plasma microbiome assays.
Role on Project: MUSC Project Co-I

MUSC Team Translational Science Award Jiang & Benitez (multiPI) 7/1/2022-6/30/2024
Investigate the impact of oral microbiome on cognition in Alzheimer’s Disease
Role on Project: PI

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