中国科学技术大学生命科学与医学部特任教授，博士生导师，国家海外高层次青年人才项目获得者。2011年本科毕业于中国农业大学，2017年博士毕业于中国科学院大学生物物理研究所。2018年10月至2023年4月于北卡罗莱纳大学教堂山分校进行博士后研究。2023年4月加入中国科学技术大学生命科学与医学部。
课题组目前主要研究方向主要为MRGPR痒觉受体以及与免疫、精神类疾病相关的G蛋白偶联受体的结构研究及药物发现。近年来以第一作者或共同第一作者在Nature，Neuron，Nature Chemical Biology以及Nature Structure & Molecular Biology等期刊上发表多篇研究论文，并应邀在Trends in Pharmacological Sciences，Current Opinion in Structural Biology和Trends in Biological Sciences等期刊上发表多篇综述文章。
联系方式：caocan23@ustc.edu.cn
主要研究兴趣：
1. MRGPR痒觉受体的结构研究及药物发现。
2. 与免疫、精神类疾病相关的G蛋白偶联受体的结构药理学研究。
3. 大脑和免疫系统中孤儿受体GPCR的功能探索。
常用技术手段:
1. 基于晶体学和冷冻电镜的结构生物学研究。
2. 基于BRET1的G蛋白招募实验、β-arrestin招募实验、GPCR磷酸化酶招募实验及Nanobody招募和解离实验。
3. 基于BRET2的14种G蛋白亚型解离实验。
4. 基于FLIPR calcium assay, Tango assay 和GloSensor assay的高通量药物筛选。
已发表文章：https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Can-Cao-12/research
1. Daphne Chun-Che Chien#, Nathachit Limjunyawong#, Can Cao#, James Meixiong3 Qi Peng, Cheng-Ying Ho, Jonathan F. Fay, Bryan L. Roth, Xinzhong Dong.(2024) MRGPRX4 mediates phospho-drug associated pruritus in a humanized mouse model. Science Translational Medicine. Accepted (#co-first author)
2. Cao, C., Roth, B. L. (2023). The structure, function and pharmacology of MRGPRs. Trends in Parmacological Sciences, 44(4), 237-251. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2023.02.002
3. Cao, C. #, Barros-Alvarez, X. #, Zhang, S. #, Kim, K. #, Damgen, M. A., Panova, O., Suomivuori, C. M., Fay, J. F., Zhong, X., Krumm, B. E., Gumpper, R. H., Seven, A. B., Robertson, M. J., Krogan, N. J., Huttenhain, R., Nichols, D. E., Dror, R. O., Skiniotis, G., & Roth, B. L. (2022). Signaling snapshots of a serotonin receptor activated by the prototypical psychedelic LSD. Neuron. (#co-first author)
4. Cao, C.#, Kang, H. J.#, Singh, I., Chen, H., Zhang, C., Ye, W., Hayes, B. W., Liu, J., Gumpper, R. H., Bender, B. J., Slocum, S. T., Krumm, B. E., Lansu, K., McCorvy, J. D., Kroeze, W. K., English, J. G., DiBerto, J. F., Olsen, R. H. J., Huang, X. P., Zhang, S., Liu, Y., Kim, K., Karpiak, J., Jan, L. Y., Abraham, S. N., Jin, J., Shoichet, B. K., Fay, J. F., & Roth, B. L. (2021). Structure, function and pharmacology of human itch GPCRs. Nature, 600(7887), 170-175. (#co-first author)
Highlighted by Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.12.005), Nature Chemical Biology (DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00959-4) and The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (DOI:10.1016/j.jaci.2022.01.017).
5. Liu, Y.#, Cao, C.#Huang, X. P., Gumpper, R.H., Rachman, M.M., Shih, S.L., Krumm, B.E., Zhang, S., Shoichet, B.K., Fay, J. F., & Roth, B. L. (2022).Ligand recognition and allosteric modulation of the human MRGPRX1 receptor.Nat Chem Biol, doi:10.1038/s41589-022-01173-6 (2022).(#co-first author)
6. Cao, C.#, Tan, Q.#, Xu, C., He, L., Yang, L., Zhou, Y., Zhou, Y., Qiao, A., Lu, M., Yi, C., Han, G. W., Wang, X., Li, X., Yang, H., Rao, Z., Jiang, H., Zhao, Y., Liu, J., Stevens, R. C., Zhao, Q., Zhang, X. C., & Wu, B. (2018). Structural basis for signal recognition and transduction by platelet-activating-factor receptor. Nat Struct Mol Biol, 25(6), 488-495. (#co-first author)
7. Cao, C., Zhang, H., Yang, Z., & Wu, B. (2018). Peptide recognition, signaling and modulation of class B G protein-coupled receptors. Curr Opin Struct Biol, 51, 53-60
8. Wang, C.#, Cao, C.#, Wang, N.#, Wang, X., Wang, X., & Zhang, X. C. (2020). Cryo-electron microscopy structure of human ABCB6 transporter. Protein Sci, 29(12), 2363-2374. (#co-first author)
9. de Graaf, C.#, Song, G. #, Cao, C. #, Zhao, Q., Wang, M. W., Wu, B., & Stevens, R. C. (2017). Extending the Structural View of Class B GPCRs. Trends Biochem Sci, 42(12), 946-960. (#co-first author)
10. Zhou, Y., Cao, C., He, L., Wang, X., & Zhang, X. C. (2019). Crystal structure of dopamine receptor D4 bound to the subtype selective ligand, L745870. Elife, 8.
11. Zhang, S., Gumpper, R. H., Huang, X. P., Liu, Y., Krumm, B. E., Cao, C., Fay, J. F., & Roth, B. L. (2022). Molecular basis for selective activation of DREADD-based chemogenetics. Nature, 612(7939), 354-362.
12. Zhang, S., Chen, H., Zhang, C., Yang, Y., Popov, P., Liu, J., Krumm, B. E., Cao, C., Kim, K., Xiong, Y., Katritch, V., Shoichet, B. K., Jin, J., Fay, J. F., & Roth, B. L. (2022). Inactive and active state structures template selective tools for the human 5-HT5A receptor. Nat Struct Mol Biol, 29(7), 677-687.
13. Zhang, X. C., Zhou, Y., & Cao, C. (2018). Proton transfer during class-A GPCR activation: do the CWxP motif and the membrane potential act in concert? Biophysics Reports, 4(3), 115-122.
14. Zhang, H., Qiao, A., Yang, L., Van Eps, N., Frederiksen, K. S., Yang, D., Dai, A., Cai, X., Zhang, H., Yi, C., Cao, C., He, L., Yang, H., Lau, J., Ernst, O. P., Hanson, M. A., Stevens, R. C., Wang, M. W., Reedtz-Runge, S., Jiang, H., Zhao, Q., & Wu, B. (2018). Structure of the glucagon receptor in complex with a glucagon analogue. Nature, 553(7686), 106-110.
15. Zhang, X. C., Cao, C., Zhou, Y., & Zhao, Y. (2015). Proton transfer-mediated GPCR activation. Protein Cell, 6(1), 12-17
16. Zhang, X. C., Zhou, Y., & Cao, C. (2015). Thermodynamics of GPCR activation. Biophys Rep, 1, 115-119.
17. Zhang, X. C., Sun, K., Zhang, L., Li, X., & Cao, C. (2013). GPCR activation: protonation and membrane potential. Protein Cell, 4(10), 747-760.
招生招聘：
1. 实验室常年诚挚招聘具有结构生物学、生物化学、计算生物学或神经生物学等相关研究背景的博士后和副研究员。
2. 实验室常年热忱欢迎对本课题组研究方向感兴趣的本科生、研究生前来交流和攻读博士学位或进行本科毕业论文研究。