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Education:

• B.S.E. 1991 Biomed. Engineering Johns Hopkins University
• M.S.E. 1994 Biomed. Engineering Case Western Reserve University
• Ph.D. 1996 Macromolecular Sci. Case Western Reserve University

Overview

Weiyun John received his B.S.E. degree in biomedical engineering (1991) from the Johns Hopkins University, M.S.E. in biomedical engineering (1994) and Ph.D. in macromolecular science (1996) from Case Western Reserve University. He held a dual appointment as a postdoctoral research associate in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland and in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (1996-98). He joined the School of Pharmacy faculty in 1998 and also has an appointment in the U.W. Biomedical Engineering Program.

Dr. Kao's overall research goal focuses on the role of biomaterials in the management of various pathological conditions. Specifically, he is interested in (1) elucidating the mechanisms of cell adhesion and activation on biomaterials, (2) delineating the critical factors in material biocompatibility and biodegradation, and (3) developing enabling technology in the synthesis of novel materials for tissue engineering. To address these issues, Dr. Kao plans (1) to elucidate the material-modulated molecular mechanisms of cell adhesion and signal transductions leading to phenotypic expressions and cellular activation, (2) to analyze material/tissue interfacial phenomena as mediated by material chemicophysical properties, cytokines, and ligand-receptor interactions, and (3) to develop novel biomaterial constructs of specific biofunctions in manipulating biological responses for therapeutic application.

Work-Related Interests/Research:

Role of biomaterials in the management of various pathological conditions

Highlighted Publications:

• King Heiden TC, Dengler E, Kao WJ, Heideman W, Peerson RE. Developmental toxicity of RGD-conjugated PAMAM dendrimers in zebrafish. Tox Appl'd Pharmacol. (submitted 2007).
• Potter W, Kao WJ. Biomimetic material systems for neural stem cell-based therapy. Frontiers Biosci (submitted 2007)
• Schmidt DR, Kao WJ. Monocyte adhesion and secretion in response to PEG hydrogels grafted with RGD and PHSRN separated by interpositional spacers of various lengths. J Biomat Mat Res (in press, 2007).
• Zuckerman S, Kao WJ. LC/MS identification of 12 intracellular cytoskeletal and inflammatory proteins from monocytes adherent on surface-adsorbed fibronectin-derived peptides. J Biomat Mat Res (in press, 2007).
• Chung AS, Gao Q, Kao WJ. Both integrin subunit beta1 and beta3 are involved in mediating monocyte adhesion, IL-1beta protein and mRNA expression in response to surfaces functionalized with fibronectin-derived peptides. J Biomat Sci Polymer Ed (in press, 2007).
• Waldeck H, Gustafson AS, Kao WJ. Interpenetrating networks containing gelatin modified with PEGylated RGD and soluble KFG: synthesis, characterization, application to in vivo critical dermal wound. J Biomed Mat Res (in press, 2007).
• Yang H, Kao WJ. Synthesis and characterization of nanoscale dendritic RGD clusters for potential applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery. Int'l J Nanomed (in press, 2007).
• Gao Q, Gustafson A, Kao WJ. Monocytic U937 adhesion, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta expression in response to gelatin-based networks grafted with RGD and PHSRN oligopeptides. Tissue Engineering (in press, 2007).
• Schmidt D, Kao WJ. The interrelated role of fibronectin and interleukin-1 in biomaterial-modulated macrophage function. Biomaterials. 2007; 28, 371-382
• Chung A, Gao Q, Kao WJ. Macrophage matrix metalloproteinase-2, -9 gene and protein expression following adhesion to ECM-derived multifunctional matrices via integrin complexation. Biomaterials. 2007; 28, 285-298.
• Zuckerman S, Kao WJ. Effect of surface adsorbed proteins and phosphorylation inhibitor AG18 on intracellular protein expression in adherent macrophages. Biomaterials. 2006, 27, 3745-3757.
• Yang H, Kao WJ. Thermoresponsive gelatin/monomethoxy poly(ethyleneglycol)-poly(D,L-lactide) hydrogels: formulation, characterization, and antibacterial drug delivery. Pharmaceutical Research. 2006, 23, 205-214.
• Yang H, Kao WJ. Dendrimers for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2006, 17, 3-19.
• Toth M, Williams K, Hayes S, Kao WJ. Tensile creep property of interpenetrating networks containing gelatin and poly(ethyleneglycol) diacrylate. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2005; 16, 7, 925-932.
• Phillips JM, Kao WJ. Macropahge adhesion on gelatin-based interpenetrating networks grafted with PEGylated RGD. Tissue Engineering. 2005; 11, 5-6, 964-973.
• Witte RP, Kao WJ. Keratinocyte-fibroblast paracrine interaction: the effects of substrate and culture condition. Biomaterials. 2005; 26, 3673-3682.
• Chen XX, Zuckerman ST, Kao WJ. A survey of intracellular protein phosphorylation in adherent U937 monocytes mediated by various culture conditions and fibronectin-derived surface ligands. Biomaterials. 2005; 26, 873-882.
• Witte RP, Blake, AJ, Palmer C, Kao WJ. Kinetics of PEG-diacrylate macromer polymerization within a multicomponent interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) system. J Biomed Mater Res. 2004; 71A, 508-518.
• Zilinski JL, Kao WJ. Tissue adhesiveness and host response of in situ photopolymerizale interpenetrating networks containing methylprednisolone acetate. J Biomed Mater Res. 2004; 68A, 2, 392-400.
• Martinez-Diaz GJ, Nelson D, Crone W, Kao WJ. Mechanical and chemical analysis of gelatin-based hydrogel degradation. Macromol Chem Phy 2003; 204, 1898-1908.
• Burmania JA, Martinez-Diaz Gabriel, Kao WJ. Synthesis and physicochemical analysis of interpenetrating networks containing modified gelatin and poly(ethyleneglycol) diacrylate. J Biomed Mater Res. 2003; 67A, 224-234.
• Li, J, Kao WJ. Synthesis of PEG derivatives and PEGylated peptide-biopolymer conjugates. Biomacromolecules 2003; 4, 4, 1055-1067.
• Kao WJ, Burmania J, Li J, Einerson N, Witte R, Stevens S, Nelson D, Martinez-Diaz G. Multifunctional protein-based matrix for drug delivery and wound management. Mat Sci Forum 2003; 426-432, 3145-3150.
• Burmania JA, Stevens KR, Kao WJ. Cell interaction of protein-loaded interpenetrating networks containing modified gelatin and poly(ethyleneglycol) diacrylate. Biomaterials 2003; 24, 3921-3930.
• Kao WJ, Liu YP. Intracellular protein tyrosine phosphorylation of adherent human macrophages on adsorbed fibronectin. Biomaterials. 2003; 24, 1183-1191.
• Stevens K, Einerson NJ, Burmania JA, Kao WJ. In vivo biocompatibility of gelatin-based hydrogels and interpenetrating networks. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed 2003; 13, 1353-1366.
• Einerson N, Stevens K, Kao WJ. Synthesis and physicochemical analysis of gelatin-based hydrogels for cell/drug carrier matrices. Biomaterials 2003; 24, 509-523.
• Kao WJ, Liu YP. Intracellular signaling involved in macrophage adhesion and FBGC formation as mediated by ligand-substrate interaction. Recipient of the 2002 New Investigator Award of the Society for Biomaterials (USA). J Biomed Mat Res. 2002; 62, 478-487.
• Kao WJ, Liu Y, Gundloori R, Li J, Lee D, Einerson N, Meyer J, Stevens K. Engineering endogenous inflammatory cells as delivery vehicles. J Controlled Release 2002; 17, 219-233.
• Liu YP, Kao WJ. Human macrophage adhesion on fibronectin: the role of substratum and intracellular signaling kinase. Cell Signal. 2002; 14, 145-152.