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; Cancer Treatment and Prevention; Immunotherapy; Neurodegenerative disorders; Pulmonary Disease; Stem Cell Research; Tissue Engineering; Tumor Microenvironment
Professional Summary:
My group is interested in applying advanced bio-fabrication technologies such as organ/organoid-on-chip models and 3D bioprinting to develop novel engineered tissue models for disease modeling, drug discovery and damaged tissue repair.
My clinical interests focus on understanding the mechanisms behind organ fibrosis and solid tumors and developing effective therapies for these conditions. For instance, we are working on engineered tumor organoid models to study stromal formation within the solid tumor microenvironment, examining how this stroma influences T-cell immunotherapy efficacy and glioblastoma invasion. Additionally, we are developing lung fibrosis-on-chip models to investigate the immune-epithelial-mesenchymal interactions that drive lung fibrosis formation.
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, Bioengineering, Johns Hopkins University (2013)
- PhD, Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials, University of Toronto (2011)
Employment:
- Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (2024-present)
- Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (2019–2024)
- 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:
- Mechanobiology, cell and tissue biomechanics
- Pulmonary fibrosis models
- Spatial transcriptomics, spatial proteomics
- Tissue Engineering, organ/organoid-on-chip models, 3D bioprinting
- Tumor microenvironment, tumor stroma, glioblastoma
Journal Articles:
- Xu Y, Ying L, Lang JK, Hinz B, Zhao R. (2024) Modeling mechanical activation of macrophages during pulmonary fibrogenesis for targeted anti-fibrosis therapy. Science advances (Mar), 10(13): eadj9559. doi:10.1126/sciadv.adj9559
- Hsia I, Asmani M, Zhao R. (2023) Predicting the preclinical efficacy of anti-fibrosis agents using a force-sensing fibrosis on chip system. Biosensors & bioelectronics (May), 228: 115194.
- Ying L, Yazdani M, Koya R, Zhao R. (2022) Engineering tumor stromal mechanics for improved T cell therapy. Biochimica et biophysica acta. General subjects (Apr), 1866(4): 130095.
- Anandakrishnan N, Ye H, Guo Z, Chen Z, Mentkowski KI, Lang JK, Rajabian N, Andreadis ST, Ma Z, Spernyak JA, Lovell JF, Wang D, Xia J, Zhou C, Zhao R. (2021) Fast Stereolithography Printing of Large-Scale Biocompatible Hydrogel Models. Advanced healthcare materials (May), 10(10): e2002103. doi:10.1002/adhm.202002103
- 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