Personnel
Personal | Education | Experience | Awards | Research | Publications
James H-C. Wang
  • Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science (Primary appointment)

E-mail: wanghc@pitt.edu
Tel: 412-648-9102
Fax: 412-648-8548
Office: BSTWR E1647; 210 Lothrop St.

Education
  • Washington University at St. Louis, Postdoctoral Fellow, Biomedical Engineering, 1998
  • Johns Hopkins Univ Medical School, Postdoctoral Fellow, Biomedical Engineering, 1997
  • University of Cincinnati, Ph.D., Bioengineering, 1996
  • Texas Health Science Center, Research Fellow, Biomechanics, 1991
  • Tongji University, Shanghai, P.R. China, M.S., Biomechanics, 1989
  • Tongji University, Shanghai, P.R. China, B.S., Solid Mechanics, 1982

Experience
  • 2005-present
    Associate Professor, Deptartments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh
  • 1998-2004
    Assistant Professor, Deptartments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh

Awards and Honors
  • President of the Society for Physical Regulation in Biology and Medicine (SPRBM), 2008-2009
  • NIH Review Panel for “Special Emphasis Panel on Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering," 2008
  • NIH Review Panel for “Bioengineering Sciences & Technologies IRG,” 2008
  • Program Chair for 2007 SPRBM Meeting, Hawaii, USA, 2007
  • Organizer and Chair for the Computational Biomechanics and Engineering Symposium in APCOM'07-EPMESC XI Congresses, Kyoto, Japan, 2007
  • NIH Review Panel on “Enabling Technologies for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine,” 2007
  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Review Panel on “Biomaterials for scaffolding materials," 2007
  • Organizer and session Chair of the Symposium of Soft Tissue and Cell Mechanobiology, Chongqing, China, 2005
  • Arthritis Foundation Biomechanics/Technology Study Section Member, 2005-2009
  • Hulda Irene Duggan Arthritis Investigator, 2001-2007

Research Interests
Dr. James H-C. Wang is interested in elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms for the development of tendinopathy using in vitro and in vivo model systems and enhancing the biological and biomechanical properties of healing tendons and ligaments using functional tissue engineering approaches. He is also interested in the mechanotransduction of how mechanical forces are transmitted to cells and translated into anabolic or catabolic cellular responses. Currently, his major research effort is on tendon stem cell mechanobiology.
Selected Publications (2000-2008)
  • Li F, Li B, Wang QM, Wang JH-C. Cell shape regulates collagen type I expression in human tendon fibroblasts. Cell Motil Cytoskel 65(4):332-341, 2008 [PubMed].

  • Li B, Xie L, Starr ZC, Yang ZC, Lin J-S, Wang JH-C. Development of Micropost Force Sensor Array with Culture Experiments for Determination of Cell Traction Forces. Cell Motility & Cytoskeleton 64(7):509-518, 2007 [PubMed].

  • Chen JX, Li HX, SundarRaj N, Wang JH-C. Alpha-smooth muscle actin expression enhances cell traction force. Cell Motility & Cytoskeleton 64(4):248-257, 2007 [PubMed].

  • Thampatty BP, Li HX, Im HJ, Wang JH-C. EP4 receptor regulates collagen type-I, MMP-1, and MMP-3 gene expression in human tendon fibroblasts in response to IL-1beta treatment, Gene 386(1-2):154-161, 2007 [PubMed].

  • Li B, Chen JX, Wang JH-C. RGD peptide-conjugated poly(dimethylsiloxane) promotes adhesion, proliferation, and collagen secretion of human fibroblasts. J Biomed Mater Res A 79 (4):989-998, 2006 [PubMed].

  • Thampatty BP, Wang JH-C. A new approach to study fibroblast migration. Cell Motility & Cytoskeleton 64 (1):1-5, 2006 [PubMed].

  • Yang ZC, Chen JX, Lin J-S, Wang JH-C. Determining substrate displacement and cell traction fields - a new approach, J Theoretical Biology 242:607–616, 2006 [PubMed].

  • Chen J, Iosifidis M, Zhu J, Tatarintsev I, Wang JH-C. Vanadate ingestion enhances the organization and collagen fibril diameters of rat healing MCLs. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 14(8):750-755,2006 [PubMed].

  • Thampatty BP, Im HJ, Wang JH-C. Leukotriene B4 at low dosage negates the catabolic effect of prostaglandin E2 in human patellar tendon fibroblasts. Gene 372:103-109, 2006 [PubMed].

  • Yang GG, Im HJ, Wang JH-C. Repetitive mechanical stretching modulates IL-1beta induced COX-2, MMP-1 expression, and PGE(2) production in human patellar tendon fibroblasts. Gene 363:166-172, 2005 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Iosifidis M, Fu F. Biomechanical basis for tendinopathy. Clin Orthop Relat Res 443: 320-332, 2006 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C. Mechanobiology of tendon. J Biomech, 39(9):1563-1582, 2006 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Thampatty BP. An introductory review of cell mechanobiology. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 5(1):1-16, 2006 [PubMed].

  • Alaseirlis, D.A., Li, Y., Cilli, F., Fu, F.H., Wang, JH-C. Decreasing inflammatory response of injured patellar tendons results in increased collagen fibril diameters. Connect Tissue Res 46:12-17, 2005 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Yang G, Li Z. Controlling cell responses to cyclic mechanical stretching. Ann Biomed Eng 33(3):337-342, 2005 [PubMed].

  • Khan MH, Li Z, Wang JH-C. Repeated exposure of tendon to prostaglandin-E2 leads to localized tendon degeneration. Clin J Sport Med 15(1):27-33, 2005 [PubMed].

  • Yang G, Crawford RC, Wang JH-C. Proliferation and collagen production of human patellar tendon fibroblasts in response to cyclic uniaxial stretching in serum-free conditions. J Biomech 37(10):1543-1550, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Cilli F, Khan M, Fu F, Wang JH-C. Prostaglandin E2 affects proliferation and collagen synthesis by human patellar tendon fibroblasts. Clin J Sport Med 14(4):232-236, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Li Z, Yang G, Khan M. Repetitively stretched tendon fibroblasts produce inflammatory mediators. Clin Orthop Relat Res (422):243-50, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Campbell BH, Agarwal C, Wang JH-C. TGF-beta1, TGF-beta3, and PGE(2) regulate contraction of human patellar tendon fibroblasts. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2(4):239-245, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Cetin S, Ford HR, Sysko LR, Agarwal C, Wang JH-C, Neal MD, Baty C, Apodaca G, Hackam DJ. Endotoxin inhibits intestinal epithelial restitution through activation of Rho-GTPase and increased focal adhesions. J Biol Chem 279(23):24592-24600, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Musahl V, Abramowitch S, Gilbert TW, Tsuda E, Wang JH-C , Woo SL-Y. The use of porcine small intestinal submucosa to enhance the healing of the medial collateral ligament – a functional tissue engineering study in rabbits. J Orthop Res 22(1):214-20, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Yang G, Li Z, Shen W. Fibroblast responses to cyclic mechanical stretching depend on cell orientation to the stretching direction. J Biomech 37(4):573-6, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Peperzak KA, Gilbert TW, Wang JH-C. A multi-station dynamic-culture force monitor system to study cell mechanobiology. Med Eng Phys 26(4):355-8, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Li Z, Yang G, Khan M, Stone D, Woo SL, Wang JH-C. Inflammatory response of human tendon fibroblasts to cyclic mechanical stretching. Am J Sports Med 32(2):435-40, 2004 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Jia F, Yang GG, Yang SH, Stone D, Woo SL-Y. Cyclic mechanical stretching of human tendon fibroblasts increases the production of prostaglandin E2 and levels of cyclooxygenase expression: a novel in vitro model study. Connect Tissue Res 44:128-133, 2003 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Jia F, Gilbert TW, Woo SL-Y. Cell orientation determines the alignment of cell-produced collagenous matrix. J Biomech 36:97-102, 2003 [PubMed].

  • Campbell BH, Clark WW, Wang JH-C. A multi-station culture force monitor system to study cellular contractility. J Biomech 12:137-140, 2002 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Goldschmidt-Clermont P, Jeremiah W, Yin, FC-P. Specificity of endothelial cell reorientation in response to cyclic mechanical stretching. J Biomech 34(12):1563-1572, 2001 [PubMed].

  • Neidlinger-Wilke C, Grood ES, Wang JH-C, Brand R, Claes L. Cell alignment is induced by cyclic changes in cell length: studies of cells grown in cyclically stretched substrates. J Orthop Res 19: 286-293, 2001 [PubMed].

  • Watanabe N, Celechovsky C, Niyibizi C, Wang JH-C , Takai S, Woo SL-Y. The effect of growth factors on proliferation and matrix synthesis of fibroblasts from goat medial collateral ligament. J Musculoskeletal Res 4(4): 257-264, 2000.

  • Wang JH-C, Goldschmidt-Clermont P, Yin FC-P. Contractility affects stress fiber remodeling and reorientation of endothelial cells subjected to cyclic mechanical stretching. Ann Biomed Eng 28: 1165-1171, 2000 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Goldschmidt-Clermont P, Moldovan N, Yin FC-P. Leukotrienes and tyrosine phosphorylation mediate stretching-induced actin cytoskeletal remodeling in endothelial cells. Cell Motility & Cytoskeleton 46: 137-145, 2000 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Grood ES, Florer J, Wenstrup R. Alignment and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts in microgrooved silicone substrata subjected to cyclic stretching. J Biomech 33(6): 729-735, 2000 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Han JS, Ryu J, Rowen B. A new method for representation of articular surfaces using the influence surface theory of plates. J Biomech 33(5): 629-633, 2000 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C, Grood ES. The strain magnitude and contact guidance determine orientation response of fibroblasts to cyclic substrate strains. Conn Tissue Res 41(1): 29-36, 2000 [PubMed].

  • Wang JH-C. Substrate deformation determines actin cytoskeleton reorganization: A mathematical modeling and experimental study. J Theor Biology 202: 33-41, 2000 [PubMed].


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