Xintong Dong, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her research focuses on antimicrobial peptide signaling and neuroimmune interactions in the skin, bladder and other epithelial tissues. Using mouse and bacterial genetic tools, her laboratory investigates the role of antimicrobial peptides in urinary tract immunity, host-microbe interactions in the skin, and how defensins contribute to neuroimmune communication and itch in psoriasis. Her work aims to advance the understanding of immune responses, inflammatory skin conditions and the underlying mechanisms of itch.