Dr. Xinyu Zhao graduated from Peking (Beijing) University with a B.S. degree in Biology and then received her Ph.D. training in Pharmacology in the laboratory of Krzysztof Palczewski at the University of Washington (Seattle).  She then obtained postdoctoral training from Dr. Fred Gage at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (La Jolla, California) between 1998 and 2003.  Dr. Zhao started her own independent research as an assistant professor of neuroscience in the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 2003 and received tenure and promotion to associate professor in 2009. She moved her laboratory to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. She is currently a professor at the Department of Neuroscience and an investigator of the Waisman Center. She is also a member of the UW Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center. She has received several prestigious awards including Junior Faculty Research award, Brain Research Foundation Scientific Innovation Award, the Vilas Mid-Career Investigator award, Jenni and Kyle Professorship, National Fragile X Research Award, Kellet Mid-Career Award, and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor.

See recent interviews of Dr. Zhao (podcast video)   (audio).

Dr. Zhao is the section editor on stem cells for Cell and Tissue Research (Springer) and associate editor for Autism Research, the official journal for the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR). In addition, she serves as a reviewer for both federal and state funding agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations.