Introduction

Ben Wang

Introduction:

Ben Wang is a full professor at the Institute of Translational Medicine, and Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention of the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University.

Professional Appointments

01/2013-now         Full Professor, Institute for Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University

06/2013-12/2022     Associate Professor, Institute for Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University

07/2011-06/2013      Post-doctoral Research Follow, Zhejiang University

01/2010-01/2011      Research Scholar in Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University

01/2009-01/2010      Research Scholar in the Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), Harvard-MIT

12/2006-12/2008      Research Assistant in Center for Biomaterials and Biopathways, Zhejiang University

09/2006-07/2007      Teaching Assistant in the Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University

Education

09/2006-06/2011 Ph.D. in Chemistry & Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University & Harvard University (Joint PhD Program)

09/2004-06/2006 M.S. Student in Biology, Zhejiang University, China (Graduated with Honor)

09/2000-06/2004 B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, China (Graduated with Honor)

Area of Research: Chemical Biology, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Medical Technology, Translational Medicine

Focus: to study the interfaces of cell-cell, and cell-materials, and develop the tools for cancer diagnostics and personalized therapeutics.

Technique Used: biochemical and molecular biological technique, cell culture, chemical synthesis and characterization, electron microscopy, microfluidics, mouse (or primate) models.

The Wang laboratory uses an interdisciplinary approach that integrates material science, biology, chemistry, and engineering to solve problems in human health. It is emphasized that using Nature's design principles to develop bio-inspired materials and devices, and ultimately, transform medicine. From the physicochemical perspective, they are focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the interfaces of cell-cell, and cell-materials, and developing the tools for cancer diagnosis and personalized medicine.

1. Cell surface engineering

Cellular interfacial engineering here as an avenue of research covers two points, Firstly, it is with the purpose of exploring the molecular structure of cells from a biological perspective and secondly, it aims at discovering the properties of materials from the scope of material science, such as surface topography and structure of extracellular matrix (ECM), cell size and shape, and so on.

2. Diagnostic macro/micro-devices based on the cellular interface

Cell rolling and migration is an important physiological (such as tissue repair) and pathological process (such as cancer metastasis) that is used to recruit specific cells in the bloodstream to a target tissue. Learn from a similar process, we aim to develop microfluidics/paper-based technologies to sort cells (for more broad vision, exosome or bio-macromolecules such as DNA/RNA/proteins included) for cancer diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

3. Therapeutic micro/nano-tools based on the cellular interface

Long systemic circulation lifetime is vital for drug delivery because long-circulating vehicles can more effectively localize in the disease sites, such as tumors and cardiovascular lesions. Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, are Nature's long-circulating delivery vehicles. We are interested in exploring and demonstrating the mechanism responsible for its roles. It will inspire the design and engineering of man-made delivery systems for cancer treatment in the future.

Funding Information

2021 – 2023 Key Project from NSF of Zhejiang Province Z21H160013 (Principal Investigator)

2019–2021 Open Research Project of Military Logistics (Investigator)

2017 – 2018 Innovation and Cultivation Project of the Science and Technology Commission of the Military Commission on Biological and Cross-Cutting Science and Technology (Principal Investigator)

2016 – 2020 National Key R&D Program “Research and Development of Biological and Medical Materials for Tissue and Organ Replacement” 2016YFC1100800 (Investigator)

2016 – 2019 Distinguished Young Scientist Award from NSF of Zhejiang Province LR16H180001 (Principal Investigator)

2016 – 2019 NSFC Grant 81570168 (Principal Investigator)

2015 – 2017 NSFC Young Investigator Grant 81401541 (Principal Investigator)

2015 – 2017 Major Project of Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province 2014C03048-2 (Co-PI)

Honors and Awards

2020   Outstanding Faculty Member (Institute of Translational Medicine, ZJU)

2019   Young Excellent Abstract Awards (The XVII International Symposium on Blood Substitutes and Oxygen Therapeutics, Japan)

2019   Outstanding Faculty Member (Zhejiang University School of Medicine)

2018   Outstanding Faculty Member (Institute of Translational Medicine, ZJU)

2017   Excellent Postdoctoral Fellow (Department of Human Resources and Social Security of Zhejiang Province)

2017   Outstanding Faculty Member (Institute of Translational Medicine, ZJU)

2017   Excellent Moral Tutor for Postgraduate (Zhejiang University School of Medicine)

2016   Excellent Class Adviser (CKC Honor College, Zhejiang University)

2016   Outstanding Faculty Member (Institute of Translational Medicine, ZJU)

2015   Distinguished Young Scientist Award (NSF of Zhejiang Province)

2014   Significant Contribution Prize in Publication (Zhejiang University School of Medicine)

2014   Outstanding Faculty Member (Institute of Translational Medicine, ZJU)

2013   Distinguished Young Scholar (Zhejiang University)

2009   Leadership Scholarship (Committee of 100)