Xuesong He, PhD. DDS. is currently an Associate Member of Staff at the Forsyth Institute, a Harvard affiliated research institute in Boston. He is also an Assistant Professor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. He received his DDS from the Beijing Medical University (now Peking University Health Science Center) in 1997, obtained his PhD in Microbiology from Indiana University in 2006. He was an Associate Professor in School of Dentistry at UCLA before joining Forsyth Institute in 2018. Dr. He has a broad background in Microbiology, particularly oral microbiology with comprehensive knowledge of microbial genetics, cell-cell communication and microbial ecology and microbial-host interaction. Some of his research interests include: 1) Understanding the biology of Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) bacteria, which has a unique parasitic lifestyle and account for over a quarter of microbial diversity. His group isolated the first CRP representative (TM7x) from human oral cavity, which has been used as model system to study the physiology and pathogenesis of this mysterious group of bacteria; 2) Understanding the ecological and social aspects of microbial community. 3) Investigating the role of host-tRNA derived small RNA (tsRNA) in modulating host-oral microbial interaction; 4) Developing novel approaches, such as acid-activated antimicrobials and probiotic-based microbial modulation, in combating dental caries, and 5) Understanding the interactions bridging the microbiome (gut and/or oral) and other systemic conditions, such as gut-bone axis. Dr. He is the contact PI of multiple active R01 grants from NIH. The national and international impact of Dr. He’s research can be proved by his over 80 well-cited publications in peer-reviewed leading scientific journals including Cell Host & Microbe, PNAS, ISME J, Trends in Microbiology, Journal of Endodontics, PLOS Pathogens, Journal of Dental Research, etc.