Ph.D. in Nutritional Epidemiology, 2005, Tufts University
M.S. in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, 2001, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Science
M.D., 1994, Shanghai Second Medical University

Instructor of Medicine and Associate Epidemiologist, Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School

Dr. Gao current research is to investigate relationships between environmental/dietary factors and risk of neurological deceases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Restless legs syndrome (RLS). Data from several large ongoing prospective cohorts have been used, including Nurses' Health Study, and Health Professionals Fellow-up Study.

Another area he involved is dietary pattern methodology. He employed a optimization programming methodology, a mathematical approach that has been used in economic, management, and engineering, to evaluate current US nutritional recommendations, including food guide pyramid and dietary reference intake.

His interests also include food police, meta-analysis, cognitive function, sleep disorders, and cancer prevention.

(Selected from 45 peer-reviewed publications)

Gao X, Schwarzschild MA, O'Reilly EJ, Wang H, Ascherio A. 2009. Restless legs syndrome and erectile function. Sleep. in press 

Gao X, Sahni S. 2009. Obesity, Diet, and Risk of Restless Legs Syndrome. The European Neurological Journal, in press 

Gao X, Simon KC, Han J, Schwarzschild MA, Ascherio A. 2009. Family history of melanoma and Parkinson's disease risk. Neurology, 2009;73:1286-91

Gao X, Schwarzschild MA, Wang H, Ascherio A. 2009. Obesity and restless legs syndrome in men and women. Neurology. 2009;72;1255-61 

Gao X, Scott T, Falcon LM, Wilde PE, Tucker KL. 2009. Food insecurity and cognitive function in Puerto Rican adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89;1197-1203

Wu T, Gao X, Chen M, van Dam RM. 2009. Long-term effectiveness of diet plus exercise versus diet-only interventions for weight loss: a meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2009 Jan 19. [Epub ahead of print]

Simon KC, Chen H, Gao X, Schwarzschild MA, Ascherio A. 2009 Reproductive factors, exogenous estrogen use and risk of Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord, 2009. May 7. [Epub ahead of print] 

Gao X, Simon KC, Han J, Schwarzschild MA, Ascherio A. 2009. Genetic determinants of hair color and Parkinson’s disease risk.  Ann Neurol  65;76-82. 

O’Reilly EJ, Chen H, Gardener H, Gao X, Schwarzschild MA, Ascherio A. 2009.Smoking and Parkinson's Disease: Using Parental Smoking as an Unconfounded Proxy to Explore Causality. Am J Epidemiol, 169;678-82

Choi HK, Gao X, Curhan G. 2009. Vitamin C Intake and Risk of Incident Gout in Men – A Prospective Study. Arch Intern Med, 169:502-7 

Logroscino G, Gao X, Chen H, Al Wing, and Ascherio A. 2008. Dietary iron intake and risk of Parkinson’s disease.  Am J Epidemiol.  168(12):1381-8

De Vera M, Rahman MM, Rankin J, Kopec J, Gao X, Choi HK. 2008. Gout and the risk of Parkinson disease in persons aged 65 years and older. Arthritis Care & Research. 59(11):1549-54.

Gao X, Chen H, Choi HK, Curhan G, Schwarzschild MA, Ascherio A. 2008. Diet, urate, and risk of Parkinson disease. Am J Epidemiol. 167(7):831-8

Gao X, Chen H, Schwarzschild MA, Logroscino G, Ascherio A. 2008.Perceived imbalance and risk of Parkinson's disease.  Movement Disorder. 2008;23(4):613-6.
 
Gao X, Curhan G, Forman J, Ascherio A, Choi HK. 2008. Vitamin C intake and serum uric acid concentration in men.  J Rheumatol. 35(9):1853-8
 
Henkin S, Brugge D, Bermudez OI, Gao X. 2008. A case-control study of BMI and asthma in Asian children. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 100:447-51

Gao J, Gao X, Li W, Zhu Y. Thompson PJ. 2008. Observational Studies on the effect of Dietary Antioxidants on Asthma: a Meta-Analysis. Respirology. 13(4):528-36

Choi J, Ford E, Gao X, Choi HK. 2008. Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drinks, Diet Soft Drinks, and Serum Uric Acid Level – The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Arthritis Rheum. 15;59(1):109-16.

Wang H, Chen H, Gao X, McGrath M, Deer D, De Vivo I, Schwarzschild MA, Ascherio A. 2008. Telomere length and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Movement Disorder.  23;302-5

Gao X, Chen H, Fung TT, Logroscino G, Schwarzschild MA, Hu FB, Ascherio A. 2007. Prospective study of dietary pattern and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 86: 1486-1494

Gao X,  Chen H, Schwarzschild MA, Glasser  DB, Logroscino G,  Rimm EB, Ascherio A. 2007. Erectile Function and Risk of Parkinson's Disease. Am J Epidemiol. 166(12):1446

Gao X, Lu Q, Qiao N, Choi HK, Curhan G, Tucker KL, Ascherio A. 2007. Intake of added sugar and sugar-sweetened drink and serum uric acid concentration in US men and women. Hypertension. 50:306 

Carrera PM, Gao X, Tucker KL. 2007. A study of dietary patterns in the Mexican-American population and their association with obesity. J Am Diet Assoc. 107(10):1735

Gao X, Miriam N, Tucker KL. 2007. Television viewing is associated with prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Hispanic elders. Diabetes Care. 30(3):694

Gao X. 2007. Model-letter Calligraphy and Weng Tonghe. Orientations, 38(3): 61

Gao X, Martin A, Lin H, Bermudez OI, Tucker KL. 2006. Alpha-tocopherol intake and plasma status of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white elders is associated with dietary intake pattern. J Nutr. 136(10):2574

Gao X, Wilde PE, Lichtenstein AH, Tucker KL. 2006. Meeting adequate intake (AI) for dietary calcium without dairy foods in adolescents, aged 9-18 y (NHANES 2001-2002). J Am Diet Assoc. 106(11):1759; Related editorial: Weaver CM. Back to basics: Have milk with meals. JADA 2006;106:1756

Gao X, La Valley M, Tucker KL. 2006. Response to Severi. J Natl Cancer Inst. 9(11):795

Gao J, Shan G, Sun B, Thompson PJ, Gao X. 2006. Association between polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor alpha-308 and asthma: A meta-analysis. Thorax. 61(6):466

Gao X, Wilde PE, Lichtenstein AH, Tucker KL. 2006. The 2005 USDA food guide pyramid is associated with more adequate nutrient intakes within energy constraints than the 1992 pyramid. J Nutr. 136(5): 1341.

Gao X, Wilde PE, Lichtenstein AH, Bermudez OI, Tucker KL. 2006. The maximal amount of dietary alpha-tocopherol intake in U.S. adults (NHANES 2001-2002). J Nutr. 136(4): 1021

Gao X, LaValley MP, Tucker KL. 2005. Prospective studies of diary product and calcium intakes and prostate cancer risk: A meta-analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst. 97(23): 1768

Gao X, Wilde PE, Maras JE, Bermudez OI, and Tucker KL. 2004. The maximal amount of alpha-tocopherol intake from foods alone in U.S. adults (1994-96 CSFII): An analysis by linear programming. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1031:385

Gao X, Bermudez OI, Tucker KL. 2004. Plasma C-reactive protein and homocysteine concentrations are related to frequent fruit and vegetable intake in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white elders. J Nutr. 134(4):913

Gao X, Yao M, McCrory MA, Ma G, Li Y, Roberts SB, Tucker KL. 2003. Dietary pattern is associated with homocysteine and B vitamin status in an urban Chinese population. J Nutr. 133(11):3636

Zhang L, Gao X, Dong Z, Tan Y, Wu Z. 2002. Premarital sexual activities among students in a university in Beijing, China. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 29(4):212