CU-BioE: Faculty - Xuejun Wen

Xuejun Wen, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Cell Biology,
Orthopaedic Surgery and Hollings Cancer Center

M.D. Medicine, 1994 Henan Medical University
M.S. Materials Science & Eng. (Metallic Biomaterials), 1997
Zhejiang University
M.S. Materials Science & Eng. (Bioceramics), 2000 Univ. of Cincinnati
Ph.D. Bioengineering (Biomatls & Tissue Eng), 2003 Univ. of Utah

Research Interests

Novel Biomaterials, Stem Cell Biology
Cell/Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine

Email:
Office: CRI# 610 (MUSC Campus)
Phone: 843.792.5875/5832 (Office/Lab)

Regenerative Medicine Laboratory ...more

Honors, Awards, and Professional Activities

Honors:

Chu Kochen Award and Chu Kochen Medal, Zhejiang University (1996-1997)

University Graduate Scholarship, University of Cincinnati (1997-1998, 1998-1999)

Graduate Student Recruiting Award, University of Utah (1999-2000)

The Whitaker Foundation Graduate Fellowship (2000-2002)

Student Research and Travel Award from Society of Biomaterials (2001)

Graduate Travel Award, University of Utah (2002).

Human stem cell research award from Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research (2005)

Wallace H. Coulter Early Career Translational Research Award in Biomedical Engineering (2005)

National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2008-2013)

Editor-in-Chief:

Stem Cell Engineering (Journal)

Stem Cell Engineering Handbook (Book)

Reviewer for Professional Journals:

Nature

Journal of Biomedical Materials Research

ASAIO Journal

Langmuir

Journals of Materials Science

Biomaterials

Bone

Journal of Nanomaterials

Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Biomacromolecules

Nanomedicine

Macromolecular Bioscience

Acta Biomaterialia

Reviewer for Funding Agencies:

NIH

NSF

NASA

American Heart Association (AHA)

American Chemical Society (ACS)

Alzheimer's Disease Association

Technology Foundation STW (Netherland)

Society Memberships:

Society For Biomaterials

American Physiology Society

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS)

Society for Neuroscience

TMS

MS&T

Current Research

The overall goal of this research is to regenerate functional and safe human tissues by combining the principles of biomaterial science, biological science, stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine with state-of-the-art techniques in molecular and cell biology. There is a strong element of translational bioengineering research, which transfers the discovery and technology obtained in the lab into applications in clinically relevant scenarios.

Tissue Engineering for Spinal Cord Repair

By engineering a controlled environment at the lesion site, neural bridging devices promote injured CNS neurons to regenerate axons, guide their regeneration to appropriate targets, and recover functions. We are developing therapeutic agent-releasing guidance devices to suppress glial scar formation, incorporating conditioned stem cells into the bridging device to help recovery from functional cell loss. We are also identifying an optimal combination of physical, chemica,l and biological guidance cues of the bridging devices and applying the optimal devices into clinically relevant applications to benefit patients with spinal cord injury.

Tissue Engineering to Treat Neurodegenerative Diseases

Some novel approaches on directed neuronal differentiation of stem cells are being advanced for the treatment of diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's.

Sensory Organ Repair

We have developed the first tissue-engineered "living" cochlear implant to benefit patients with hearing loss and are applying tissue-engineering principles for vision function restoration.

Lung Tissue Engineering

Based on the knowledge in biomaterial scaffold research and developmental biology, the essential techniques to grow elementary lung units in vitro has been established for engineering functional lung units.

Orthopedic Tissue Engineering

The group is developing several series of new osteogenic or chondrogenic biomaterials and novel scaffolds that mimic the macro- and micro-structure of natural tissues for bone and cartilage repair by combining physiological force and gene therapy.

Drug Delivery

Five types of drug delivery systems, including selective-permeable hollow fiber, liposome, microsphere, nanogel/nanoparticle, genetic engineering, and combined systems, are used to deliver drugs, growth factors, genes, and cells to different types of tissues.

Nanostructured Biomaterials

Nanostructured biomaterials or their surface modifications are developed for tissue engineering, biosensor/bioprobe, drug delivery, etc.

Proteomics and Genomics

Protein and gene expression of cells is examined under different developmental stage or conditions using comparative proteomics and genomics approaches.

Recent Publications

Zhang C, Zhang N, Wen X.; Synthesis and characterization of biocompatible, degradable, light-curable, polyurethane-based elastic hydrogels. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2007 Sep 1;82(3):637-50.

Nichols HL, Zhang N, Zhang J, Shi D, Bhaduri S, Wen X. Coating nanothickness degradable films on nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite particles to improve the bonding strength between nanohydroxyapatite and degradable polymer matrix. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2007 Aug;82(2):373-82.

Mironov V, Drake C, Wen X. Research project: Charleston Bioengineered Kidney Project. Biotechnol J. 2006 Sep;1(9):903-5.

Zhang C, Zhang N, Wen X. Improving the elasticity and cytophilicity of biodegradable polyurethane by changing chain extender. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2006 Nov;79(2):335-44.

Nichols HL, Zhang N, Wen X. Proteomics and genomics of microgravity. Physiol Genomics. 2006 Aug 16; 26(3):163-71.

Wen X, Tresco PA. Fabrication and characterization of permeable degradable poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) hollow fiber phase inversion membranes for use as nerve tract guidance channels. Biomaterials. 2006 Jul;27(20):3800-9.

Wen X, Tresco PA.Effect of filament diameter and extracellular matrix molecule precoating on neurite outgrowth and Schwann cell behavior on multifilament entubulation bridging device in vitro. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2006 Mar 1;76(3):626-37.

Zhang N, Zhang C, and Wen X. Fabrication of semi-permeable hollow fiber membranes with highly aligned texture for nerve guidance; Journal of Biomedical Materials Research: Part A. 2005 Dec 15; 75(4):941-9.

Zhang N, Yan H, and Wen X. Tissue engineering strategies for axonal guidance; Brain Research Review. 2005 Jul; 49(1), 48-64.