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Pharmaceutical Sciences Division

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W. John Kao, Ph.D.

Professor

7123 Rennebohm Hall
Phone:608-263-2998
FAX: 608-262-5345
Email: WJKao@pharmacy.wisc.edu

Email W. John Kao

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 a faculty appointment in the Department of Surgery and Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Fields of interest:

  • Mechanisms of cell adhesion and activation on biomaterials: to elucidate the material-modulated molecular mechanisms of cell adhesion and signal transductions leading to phenotypic expressions and cellular activation.
  • Biomaterial biocompatibility and biodegradation: to analyze material/tissue interfacial phenomena as mediated by material chemicophysical properties, cytokines, and ligand-receptor interactions.
  • Novel materials for tissue engineering: to develop novel biomaterial constructs of specific biofunctions in manipulating biological responses for therapeutic applications.

Some of our current projects:

  • First-in-human clinical study of in situ photopolymerized sIPN for dermal wounds.
  • Better understand the underlying biology and the mechanisms of the wound healing event from inflammation to granulation and end stage healing.
  • Study the role mesenchymal stem cells in wound healing.
  • Elucidate specific material-mediated function of monocytes, keratinocytes, fibroblasts and the paracrine relationship thereof.
  • Develop in situ polymerized multifunctional materials via click-chemistry for wound healing, drug delivery, and cell transplantation.
  • Study stroma-cancer cell axis using microfluidic ECM-mimics for drug screening and underlying pathology.

Kao Lab Research Overview (PDF) | About Multi-Functional Matrix (PDF)

Work-Related Interests/Research:

Role of biomaterials in the management of diseases

Highlighted Publications:

  • Fu Y., Kao WJ. In Situ forming poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels via thiol-maleimide Michael-type addition. J Biomed Mat Res (in press, 2011).
  • Wang XT, Schmidt DR, Joyce E, Kao WJ. Application of MS-based proteomics to study serum protein adsorption/absorption and complement C3 activation on polyethylene glycol hydrogels. J Biomat Sci Polymer Ed. 2010 Jun 30 [Epub ahead of print].
  • Schmidt DR, Kao WJ. Macrophage phenotypic polarization on polyethylene hydrogel in the presence of IL1beta. Acta Biomaterialia. 2011; 7, 515-525
  • Kleinbeck K, Faucher L, Kao WJ. Biomaterials modulate IL-8 and other inflammatory proteins during re-epithelialization in cutaneous partial thickness wounds in pigs. Wound Repair and Regeneration. 2010; 18, 486-498.
  • Fu Y, Kao WJ. Drug release kinetics and transport mechanisms of degradable and non-degradable polymeric matrices. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery. 2010; 7, 429-444. NIHMSID: NIHMS 169295
  • Faucher LD, Kleinbeck KR, Kao WJ. Multifunctional photopolymerized semiinterpenetrating network (sIPN) system containing bupivacaine and silver sulfadiazine is an effective donor site treatment in a swine model. J Burn Care Res. 2010; 31, 137-145. NIHMSID: NIHMS 172817
  • Wang XT, Waldeck H, Kao WJ. The effects of TGF-alpha, IL-1beta, and PDGF on fibroblast adhesion to ECM-derived matrix and KGF gene expression. Biomaterials. 2010; 31, 2542-2548. NIHMSID: NIHMS 2813970
  • Fu Y, Kao WJ. Drug release kinetics and transport mechanisms from semi-interpenetrating networks of gelatin and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate. Pharm Res. 2009; 26, 2115-2124. NIHMSID: NIHMS
  • Bader R, Kao WJ. Modulation of the keratinocyte-fibroblast paracrine relationship with gelatin-based semi-interpenetrating networks containing bioactive factors for wound repair. J Biomat Sci Polymer Ed. 2009; 20, 1005-1030. NIHMSID: NIHMS
  • Zuckerman ST, Brown JF, Kao WJ. Identification of regulatory Hck and PAI-2 proteins in monocyte response to PEG-containing matrices. Biomaterials. 2009; 30, 3825-2833. NIHMSID: NIHMS 2774525
  • Chung A, Kao WJ. Fibroblasts regulate monocyte response to ECM-derived matrix: the effect on monocyte adhesion, and the expression of inflammation, matrix remodeling and growth factor proteins. 2009 Student Award for Outstanding Research in the PhD Candidate Category. J Biomed Mater Res. 2009; 15, 841-853. NIHMSID: NIHMS
  • Bader RA, Herzog KT, Kao WJ. A study of diffusion in poly(ethyleneglycol)-gelatin based semi-interpenetrating networks for use in wound healing. Polymer Bull. 2009; 62, 381-389. NIHMSID: NIHMS
  • Kleinbeck KR, Faucher l, Kao WJ. Multifunctional in situ photopolymerized semi-interpenetrating network system (sIPN) is an effective donor site dressing: a cross comparison study in a swine model. J Burn Care Res. 2009; 30, 37-45. PMCID:PMC
  • Kleinbeck KR, Bader RA, Kao WJ. Concurrent in vitro release of silver sulfadiazine and bupivacaine from semi-interpenetrating networks for wound management. J Burn Care Res. 2009; 30, 98-104. PMCID:PMC2767419
  • Chung AS, Waldeck H, Schmidt DR, Kao WJ. Monocyte inflammatory and matrix remodeling response modulated by grafted ECM-derived ligand density and concentration. J Biomat Mat Res. 2009; 91, 742-752. PMCID:PMC2767419