Wenjun Wang

Supervisor: Dr. David Mooney

Research projects:

• Diabetic hyperglycemia alters the immune microenvironment of breast tumors through glycation-induced mechanical changes in the extracellular matrix.
• The impact of tissue mechanical properties on the metabolism of immune cells.
• Modulating tissue mechanics through a biomaterial-based approach.

Supervisor: Dr. Cynthia Reinhart-King

Research projects:

• Diabetic hyperglycemia promotes tumor progression and angiogenesis via glycation-mediated ECM stiffening.
• Increased matrix stiffness enhances cancer–macrophage interactions and M2-like macrophage accumulation in the tumor microenvironment.
• Matrix stiffness regulation of tumor cell intravasation through expression and alternative splicing of MENA.

Mentorship: Mentored three undergraduate students and one research assistant, training them in mouse model maintenance, immunofluorescence staining, and biomaterial characterization. Guided independent research projects, including work on glycation-inhibition effects on cancer cell migration (published in Soft Matter).

Supervisors: Dr. Cynthia Reinhart-King and Dr. François Bordeleau

Research projects:

• Focal adhesion kinase–mediated matrix stiffness regulation of endothelial barrier integrity.
• Tissue transglutaminase 2 regulation of tumor cell tension homeostasis.

Supervisors: Dr. Cynthia Reinhart-King and Dr. François Bordeleau

Research project: Quantitative assessment of cell contractility using polarized light microscopy.

Supervisor: Dr. Stanley Liu

Research project: Prophage genetic segment regulation of E. coli metabolism.

2013 Team Page

Project: Reconstructed intracellular compartments in E. coli by expressing magnetosome membrane genes.

Awards:

• Best Model Prize & Gold Medal, iGEM Regional Jamboree: Asia
• Excellent Project Award, National Undergraduate Training Program for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• National Xiaoping Science and Technology Innovation Team Award

Project Achievements: Developed a microfluidics-based quantification method to assess the growth dynamics of microaerobic bacteria.

Mentorship:

• Trained new members in molecular biology and synthetic biology experimental techniques.
• Compiled the first edition of the wet-lab training program for the OUC-iGEM Synthetic Biology Laboratory.

Supervisor: Dr. Xianghong Wang

Research project: Isolated marine microorganisms and identified species via morphology and 16S rRNA sequencing.

Supervisor: Dr. Yang Liu

Research project: Screening lettuce subspecies for seawater-based cultivation using a custom-designed hydroponic system (funded by the National Training Program of Innovation for Undergraduates).