Mr Cong Xie
Research Fellow (B) (with PhD)
School of Medicine
College of Health
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr Cong Xie is an early career post-doc at the University of Adelaide in research focusing on understanding the key role of the gut and taste signalling in glucose metabolism in both health and type 2 diabetes and the translation of these novel insights into improved therapy for type 2 diabetes. He conducted his medical training at Southeast University (2010-17) and completed his PhD at the University of Adelaide (2021). Immediately after his PhD conferral, he was awarded Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Mary Overton Early Career Fellowship (2022-24). He is currently supported by Australian Diabetes Society Skip Martin Fellowship (2025), and RAH Florey Fellowship (2025-28).
Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, amputations, heart disease and kidney disease. Up to a third of Australians will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifespan, which can impose a ~6 years decrease in life expectancy and a 3-4 fold increase in healthcare costs within Australia. As the key interface between ingested nutrients and the body, the gastrointestinal tract is now recognised to play a central role in regulating postprandial metabolism. Dr Xie's research focuses on the pivotal role of gastrointestinal function, particularly gastric emptying and gastrointestinal hormones (e.g. glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)), in the regulation of postprandial glycaemia, energy expenditure and energy intake in both health and type 2 diabetes. He is particularly interested in how to boost the release of endogenous GLP-1 to optimise postprandial hyperglycaemia – a ‘physiological’ strategy that is inherently safe and inexpensive.
With the great support from senior research leaders (A/Prof Tongzhi Wu and Profs Chris Rayner and Michael Horowitz) and ongoing funding support (from NHMRC, MRFF, Diabetes Australia, Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations), he is now determining: 1) the roles of bitter taste and bile acid signalling in the regulation of gastrointestinal function and postprandial glycaemia in cohorts of healthy and type 2 diabetes participants; 2) the role of low-caloric sweeteners in glucose metabolism in both health and type 2 diabetes. These studies would provide clear views of the physiology and pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and have a high potential to establish novel, safe and cost-effective strategies to improve the management of type 2 diabetes.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | RAH Florey Research Fellow | Royal Adelaide Hospital |
| 2025 - ongoing | Research Fellow | University of Adelaide |
| 2022 - 2024 | RAH Mary Overton Early Career Fellow | Royal Adelaide Hospital |
| 2021 - 2021 | Research Fellow | University of Adelaide |
| 2015 - 2017 | Physician Trainee | Zhongda Hospital Southeast University |
| 2014 - 2015 | Intern | Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Award | 2024 AMS Publication Awards - Most Impactful Publication | Adelaide Medical School | Australia | - |
| 2024 | Award | Travel Grant | European Association for the Study of Diabetes | Germany | - |
| 2023 | Award | Travel Grant | Australia Diabetes Society | Australia | - |
| 2023 | Award | Best Clinical Presentation Award in Memory of Dr Paul Lee | Australian Diabetes Society | Australia | - |
| 2023 | Award | Travel Grant | European Association for the Study of Diabetes | Germany | - |
| 2022 | Award | Clinical Poster Award (Finalist) | Australia Diabetes Society | Australia | - |
| 2022 | Award | President's Prize - Clinical Young Investigator Award (Finalist) | Australia Diabetes Society | Australia | - |
| 2022 | Fellowship | Royal Adelaide Hospital Mary Overton Early Career Fellowship | Royal Adelaide Hospital | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | Adelaide Medical School Research Support Award | The University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | Australia Diabetes Society Registration Grant | Australia Diabetes Society | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Award | Clinical Poster Award (Finalist) | Australia Diabetes Society | Australia | - |
| 2019 | Award | Travel Grant | European Association for the Study of Diabetes | Italy | - |
| 2018 | Award | Travel Grant | European Association for the Study of Diabetes | Italy | - |
| 2018 | Achievement | Clinical Poster Award (Finalist) | Australia Diabetes Society | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Award | The Hospital Research Foundation Research Travel Awards | The Hospital Research Foundation | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Award | Adelaide Medical School Research Travel Award | The University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Scholarship | Postgraduate Supplementary Scholarship | National Health and Medical Research Council Grant | Australia | - |
| 2017 | Scholarship | Postgraduate scholarship | China Scholarship Council | China | - |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 - 2021 | University of Adelaide | Australia | PhD |
| 2015 - 2017 | Southeast University | China | Master |
| 2010 - 2015 | Southeast University | China | Bachelor |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Sun, Y., Xie, C., Bound, M., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., Young, R., . . . Wu, T. (2024). Disparities in GLP-1 and GIP responses to small intestinal glucose infusion between people with well- and poorly-controlled type 2 diabetes. In DIABETOLOGIA Vol. 67 (pp. S92). SPAIN, Madrid: SPRINGER. |
| 2024 | Xie, C., Li, T., Bound, M., Grivell, J., Sun, Y., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2024). Effects of well and poorly absorbed low-calorie sweeteners on insulin secretion and sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. In DIABETOLOGIA Vol. 67 (pp. S328). SPAIN, Madrid: SPRINGER. |
| 2024 | Huang, W., Xie, C., Xiang, C., Li, T., Young, R. L., Zhao, J., . . . Wu, T. (2024). A gut-on-a-chip platform to monitor GLP-1 secretion dynamics from primary intestinal tissue. In DIABETOLOGIA Vol. 67 (pp. S395). SPAIN, Madrid: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Sun, Y., Luo, Y., Xiang, C., Xie, C., Ma, J., Sun, Z., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Gastric emptying is accelerated in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, and is slowed with insulin pump therapy. In DIABETES RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE Vol. 197 (pp. 1 page). ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. DOI |
| 2022 | Quast, D. R., Xie, C., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., . . . Wu, T. (2022). Effects of acute and sub-chronic treatment with metformin on post-prandial blood pressure and heart rate in diet-controlled type 2 diabetes. In DIABETOLOGIA Vol. 65 (pp. S319-S320). Stockholm, SWEDEN: SPRINGER. |
| 2022 | Sang, M., Xie, C., Liu, Y., Qiu, S., Wang, X., Sun, Z., & Wu, T. (2022). Association between cholecystectomy and dysglycaemia: cross-sectional and prospective analyses. In DIABETOLOGIA Vol. 65 (pp. S181). SPRINGER. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Huang, W., Xie, C., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., Rayner, C. K., & Wu, T. (2024). Sex differences in the plasma glucagon responses to a high carbohydrate meal and a glucose drink in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 60th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD 2024), as published in Diabetologia. Madrid, Spain: Springer. DOI |
| 2023 | Veedfald, S., Sun, Y., Xiang, C., Xie, C., Wu, T., Bound, M., . . . Rayner, C. K. (2023). Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 do not account for the entire incretin effect in healthy humans. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 59 th EASD Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, as published in Diabetologia. Hamburg, Germany: Springer. DOI WoS1 |
| 2023 | Horowitz, M., Xiang, C., Xie, C., Sun, Y., Jones, K. L., Rayner, C. K., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Gastric emptying is slower in women than men with type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. GERMANY, Hamburg: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Wu, T., Xie, C., Iroga, P., Bound, M., Grivell, J., Huang, W., . . . Rayner, C. (2023). The impact of timing of metformin administration on glycaemic and glucagon like peptide 1 responses to intraduodenal glucose in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. GERMANY, Hamburg: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Xiang, C., Sun, Y., Luo, Y., Xie, C., Huang, W., Sun, Z., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Gastric emptying of 75g oral glucose is predictive of the glycaemic response to mixed meals as well as oral glucose, but unrelated to antecedent glycaemia in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. GERMANY, Hamburg: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Quast, D. R., Lancaster, D., Xie, C., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Jones, K. L., . . . Nauck, M. A. (2023). Glucagon-like peptide 1 for lowering plasma glucose in hyperglycaemic subjects with type 2 diabetes: a systematic comparison of intravenous and subcutaneous routes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. GERMANY, Hamburg: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Rayner, C. K., Huang, W., O'Hara, S. E., Xie, C., Nicholas, L. M., & Wu, T. (2023). Effects of a bitter tasting substance, denatonium benzoate, on pancreatic hormone secretion. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 59th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD 2023), as published in Diabetologia. Hamburg, Germany: Springer. DOI |
| 2023 | Borg, M. J., Xie, C., Rayner, C., Horowitz, M., Jones, K., & Wu, T. (2023). Fasting plasma GIP is related to metabolic derangements in health and type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. GERMANY, Hamburg: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Xie, C., Huang, W., Bound, M., Grivell, J., Jones, K., Horowitz, M., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Effect of intestinal exposure to endogenous bile acids on the incretin axis in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. GERMANY, Hamburg: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Li, T., Sang, M., Wang, J., Sun, Z., Xie, C., Rayner, C., . . . Wu, T. (2023). Tea consumption is associated with increased urinary glucose excretion, improved insulin resistance and reduced risk of dysglycaemia, in Chinese community-dwelling adults. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. GERMANY, Hamburg: SPRINGER. |
| 2023 | Xie, C., Huang, W., Sun, Y., Horowitz, M., Jones, K., Rayner, C., & Wu, T. (2023). Disparities in blood glucose and incretin responses to intraduodenal glucose infusion in healthy young males and females. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETES RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE. ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. DOI |
| 2022 | Xie, C., Jalleh, R. J., Huang, W., Sun, Y., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., . . . Wu, T. (2022). Determinants of blood glucose concentrations after a high carbohydrate meal in type 2 diabetes: a multiple linear regression analysis. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), as published in Diabetologia. Stockholm & Online: Springer. DOI |
| 2022 | Wu, T., Xie, C., Huang, W., Sun, Y., Horowitz, M., Jones, K. L., & Rayner, C. K. (2022). Disparities in blood glucose and incretin responses to intraduodenal glucose infusion in healthy young males and females. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), as published in Diabetologia. Stockholm, Sweden & Online: Springer. DOI |
| 2022 | Huang, W., Xie, C., Albrechtsen, N. J. W., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., Rayner, C. K., & Wu, T. (2022). The 'early' postprandial glucagon response to a mixed meal is dependent on the rate of gastric emptying in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), as published in Diabetologia. Stockholm, Sweden & Online: Springer. DOI |
| 2020 | Wu, T., Wang, X., Xie, C., Marathe, C. S., Malbert, C. -H., Horowitz, M., . . . Sun, Z. (2020). Disparities in gastric emptying and postprandial glycaemia between Han Chinese and Caucasians with type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY. WILEY. |
| 2020 | Wang, X., Chen, C., Xie, C., Horowitz, M., Jones, K. L., Rayner, C. K., . . . Wu, T. (2020). Serum bile acids after an oral glucose load in Chinese healthy individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes: relationships with glycaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. ELECTR NETWORK: SPRINGER. |
| 2020 | Xie, C., Wang, X., Bound, M. J., Young, R. L., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., . . . Wu, T. (2020). Bitter taste signalling modulates bile acid-induced PYY, but not GLP-1 secretion in healthy humans. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 56th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), as published in Diabetologia. Virtual Online: Springer-Verlag. DOI |
| 2020 | Wu, T., Xie, C., Wang, X., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Jones, K. L., . . . Rayner, C. K. (2020). Role of endogenous glucagon-like peptide-1 in the serum triglyceride response to intraduodenal fat infusion in type 2 diabetic patients on vildagliptin. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. ELECTR NETWORK: SPRINGER. |
| 2020 | Sansome, D. J., Veedfald, S., Xie, C., Bound, M., Grivell, J., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2020). Role of bile acids on glucose-lowering by metformin in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. ELECTR NETWORK: SPRINGER. |
| 2019 | Xie, C., Wang, X., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Jones, K. L., Horowitz, M., . . . Wu, T. (2019). Roles of endogenous GLP-1 in the glycaemic and energy expenditure responses to fat in type 2 diabetes studied using vildagliptin and exendin(9-39). Poster session presented at the meeting of DIABETOLOGIA. Barcelona, SPAIN: SPRINGER. |
| 2019 | Horowitz, M., Xie, C., Wang, X., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2019). Comparative effects of intraduodenal glucose and fat on blood pressure and heart rate in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 55th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), as published in Diabetologia. Barcelona, SPAIN: Springer-Verlag. DOI Europe PMC12 |
| 2018 | Xie, C., Wang, X., Bound, M. J., Grivell, J., Young, R. L., Jones, K. L., . . . Wu, T. (2018). Effects of the bitter taste receptor agonist, denatonium benzoate, on postprandial glycaemia, gastric emptying and energy intake in type 2 diabetes. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD 2017), as published in Diabetologia. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer. DOI Europe PMC8 |
| Year | Project | Amount | CI(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-28 | CALHN Florey Fellowship | C Xie | |
| 2025 | Australian Diabetes Society Skip Martin Fellowship | $85,000 | C Xie |
| 2025-26 |
MRFF - Targeted Translation Research Accelerator Program - Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Mechanisms (Sweet tasting kidneys – a novel pathway in glucose homeostasis) |
$999,733 | T Wu, R Young, C Rayner, M Thomas, C Miller, C Xie, W Huang |
| 2024 |
Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations Early Career Grant (Impact of renal sweet taste sensing on the risk of diabetic kidney disease.) |
$40,000 | C Xie |
| 2024 |
Diabetes Australia Project Grant (ID: Y24G-XIEC) (Development of a novel bile acid-based therapy to optimise postprandial glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes.) |
$59,995 | C Xie, T Wu, C Rayner, RYoung, M Horowitz, W Huang |
| 2023 |
Diabetes Australia Project Grant (ID: Y23G-WUTO) (Harnessing bile acid sensing mechanisms to improve the management of type 2 diabetes.) |
$70,000 | T Wu, C Rayner, R Young, M Horowitz, K Jones, C Xie, H Ependorff-Heidepriem, W Huang |
| 2023 |
Diabetes Australia Project Grant (ID: Y23G-RAYN) (Impact of renal 'sweet taste' sensing on the risk of dysglycaemia.) |
$70,000 | C Rayner, T Wu, R Young, M Thomas, C Xie, W Huang |
| 2022-24 | CALHN Mary Overton Early Career Fellowship | $300,000 | C Xie |
Dr Xie has supervised several medical undergraduates on research placement and summer scholarship projects. He has also provided technical training to a number of Honours students and junior HDR students within his research centre.
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Co-Supervisor | Joint Award Project: Bile Acids and Glycaemia Control in Health and Type 2 Diabetes | Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Yixuan Sun |
| 2022 | Co-Supervisor | Joint Award Project: Bile Acids and Glycaemia Control in Health and Type 2 Diabetes | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Yixuan Sun |
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 - ongoing | Member | Australian Diabetes Society | Australia |
| 2018 - ongoing | Member | European Association for the Study of Diabetes | Germany |
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