Ruogang Zhao PhD
Ruogang Zhao
PhD
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Biomedical Engineering; Immunotherapy; Lung Inflammation and Infection; Models - cell and animal; Pulmonary Disease; Tissue Engineering
Professional Summary:
My group is interested in applying advanced bio-fabrication technologies such as organ-on-chip and 3D bioprinting to develop novel engineered tissue models for disease modeling, drug discovery and damaged tissue repair.
Utilizing advanced biofabrication methods, we spatially control the mechanobiological microenvironment across multiple length scales to improve the physiological relevancy and clinical utility of engineered tissues.
We use these novel tools to study fibrosis-related diseases such as the cause and therapy of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and the effect of fibrotic tumor microenvironment on cancer immunotherapy.
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, Bioengineering, Johns Hopkins University (2013)
- PhD, Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials, University of Toronto (2011)
Employment:
- Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (2019-present)
- Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (2013–2019)
Awards and Honors:
- The Young Innovators of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering Society (2019)
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2010)
- Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Doctoral Award (2009)
Research Expertise:
- 3D bioprinting
- Disease modeling and drug screening
- Fibrotic tumor microenvironment
- Mechanobiology
- Organ-on-chip models
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Spatial-omics
- Tissue Engineering
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- July 2020–July 2022
An inflammation-induced fibrosis-on-chip system for the testing of anti-fibrosis drugs
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Role: Principal Investigator
$920,000 - May 2015–May 2020
Fibrotic microtissue chips for screening of anti-fibrotic therapies
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Role: Principal Investigator
$1,400,000 - May 2015–December 2016
Stereolithography 3D printing of human organ on a chip
UB Innovative Micro-Programs Accelerating Collaboration in Themes (IMPACT) Fund
Role: Principal Investigator
$30,000 - July 2014–December 2015
Human fibrotic microtissue chips for screening of anti-fibrotic therapies
University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Research Center
Role: Principal Investigator
$30,000
Journal Articles:
- Chen Z, Lu J, Zhang C, Hsia I, Yu X, Marecki L, Marecki E, Asmani M, Jain S, Neelamegham S, Zhao R. (2019) Microclot array elastometry for integrated measurement of thrombus formation and clot biomechanics under fluid shear. Nat Commun (May), 10(1): 2051-2051.
- Lee W, Kalashnikov N, Mok S, Halaoui R, Kuzmin E, Putnam AJ, Takayama S, Park M, McCaffrey L, Zhao R, Leask RL, Moraes C. (2019) Dispersible hydrogel force sensors reveal patterns of solid mechanical stress in multicellular spheroid cultures. Nat Commun (Jan), 10(1): 144-144.
- Zhao H, Chen Z, Zhao R, Feng L. (2018) Exceptional point engineered glass slide for microscopic thermal mapping. Nat Commun (May), 9(1): 1764-1764.
- Asmani M, Velumani S, Li Y, Wawrzyniak N, Hsia I, Chen Z, Hinz B, Zhao R. (2018) Fibrotic microtissue array to predict anti-fibrosis drug efficacy. Nat Commun (May), 9(1): 2066-2066.
- Shahini A, Mistriotis P, Asmani M, Zhao R, Andreadis ST. (2017) NANOG Restores Contractility of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Senescent Microtissues. Tissue Eng Part A (Jan), 23(11-12): 535-545.
- Mistriotis P, Bajpai VK, Wang X, Rong N, Shahini A, Asmani M, Liang MS, Wang J, Lei P, Liu S, Zhao R, Andreadis ST. (2017) NANOG Reverses the Myogenic Differentiation Potential of Senescent Stem Cells by Restoring ACTIN Filamentous Organization and SRF-Dependent Gene Expression. Stem Cells (Jan), 35(1): 207-221.
- Poitelon Y, Lopez-Anido C, Catignas K, Berti C, Palmisano M, Williamson C, Ameroso D, Abiko K, Hwang Y, Gregorieff A, Wrana JL, Asmani M, Zhao R, Sim FJ, Wrabetz L, Svaren J, Feltri ML. (2016) YAP and TAZ control peripheral myelination and the expression of laminin receptors in Schwann cells. Nat Neurosci (Jul), 19(7): 879-887.
- Chen Z, Wang Q, Asmani M, Li Y, Liu C, Li C, Lippmann JM, Wu Y, Zhao R. (2016) Lung Microtissue Array to Screen the Fibrogenic Potential of Carbon Nanotubes. Sci Rep (Jan), 6: 31304-31304.
- Xu F, Zhao R, Liu AS, Metz T, Shi Y, Bose P, Reich DH. (2015) A microfabricated magnetic actuation device for mechanical conditioning of arrays of 3D microtissues. Lab Chip (Jun), 15(11): 2496-2503.
- Zhao R, Chen CS, Reich DH. (2014) Force-driven evolution of mesoscale structure in engineered 3D microtissues and the modulation of tissue stiffening. Biomaterials (Jun), 35(19): 5056-5064.
- Zhao R, Boudou T, Wang WG, Chen CS, Reich DH. (2013) Decoupling cell and matrix mechanics in engineered microtissues using magnetically actuated microcantilevers. Adv Mater (Mar), 25(12): 1699-1705.
- Nagahashi M, Ramachandran S, Kim EY, Allegood JC, Rashid OM, Yamada A, Zhao R, Milstien S, Zhou H, Spiegel S, Takabe K. (2012) Sphingosine-1-phosphate produced by sphingosine kinase 1 promotes breast cancer progression by stimulating angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Cancer Res (Feb), 72(3): 726-735.
- Studer E, Zhou X, Zhao R, Wang Y, Takabe K, Nagahashi M, Pandak WM, Dent P, Spiegel S, Shi R, Xu W, Liu X, Bohdan P, Zhang L, Zhou H, Hylemon PB. (2012) Conjugated bile acids activate the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 in primary rodent hepatocytes. Hepatology (Jan), 55(1): 267-276.
- Zhao R, Simmons CA. (2012) An improved texture correlation algorithm to measure substrate-cytoskeletal network strain transfer under large compressive strain. J Biomech (Jan), 45(1): 76-82.
- Zhao R, Sider KL, Simmons CA. (2011) Measurement of layer-specific mechanical properties in multilayered biomaterials by micropipette aspiration. Acta Biomater (Mar), 7(3): 1220-1227.
- Bhana B, Iyer RK, Chen WL, Zhao R, Sider KL, Likhitpanichkul M, Simmons CA, Radisic M. (2010) Influence of substrate stiffness on the phenotype of heart cells. Biotechnol Bioeng (Apr), 105(6): 1148-1160.
- Zhao R, Wyss K, Simmons CA. (2009) Comparison of analytical and inverse finite element approaches to estimate cell viscoelastic properties by micropipette aspiration. J Biomech (Dec), 42(16): 2768-2773.
- Yip CY, Chen JH, Zhao R, Simmons CA. (2009) Calcification by valve interstitial cells is regulated by the stiffness of the extracellular matrix. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol (Jun), 29(6): 936-942.
Professional Memberships:
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Biomedical Engineering Society
- Society of Biomaterials