Dr. Xue has long been engaged in the research of understanding physiological characteristics and signaling mechanisms of light perception, revealing neural circuits involved in this process and exploring methods for vision restoration after photoreceptor degeneration. He has published more than 50 papers and citations over 5000 times, and personal h-index is 32. Dr. Xue revealed the photo-transduction mechanism of mammalian intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs, a novel type of photoreceptors discovered two decades ago), which is crucial for understanding the kinetodynamic features of light responses in non-image-forming vision (Nature 2011). He also conducted in-depth study on light-modulated physiological functions. He depicted a novel neural pathway that mediated depressive behaviors induced by abnormal nighttime light, laying groundwork for acknowledging harmful effects of light pollution at night and exploring therapeutic interventions (Nature Neuroscience 2020). In another groundbreaking work, he achieved mammalian near-infrared vision using photoreceptor-binding up-conversion nanomaterials, reaching beyond the limits naturally set for visual perception in mammals (Cell 2019). For translational research in ophthalmology, he developed a crispr-case9-based in vivo HDR gene editing tool, which enabled genetic repair in post-mitotic cells and rescued photoreceptor degeneration in a mouse model with an inherited visual disease (Science Advances 2019). By comparing the molecular traits of human retinae and human-origin retinal organoids, he discovered unique transcriptional factors in human retinal development (Science Advances 2020). He also optimized the differentiation conditions for stem-cell derived retinal organoids, and established a quality control system to monitor the physiological function of retinal organoids differentiated in vitro (Stem Cell Research 2019; Stem Cells 2021). He built up a single-cell transcriptome atlas of the aging human and macaque retina, which is valuable to understanding of the molecular characteristics of primate retina, as well as molecular regulation of aging progression and related diseases (NSR 2021). Moreover, he created the first nonhuman primate model for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-delivered CRISPR/SaCas9 technology. This primate model is of critical importance to study the pathogenesis of RP and to evaluate potential therapeutic options in the future (Science Bulletin 2021).