Principal Investigator: Professor Wenxin Wang, Ph.D., FRSC

Wenxin Wang

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

Current Employment:
2019-present Senior Conway Fellow, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland
2018-present Guest Professor, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
2018-present Adjunct Professor, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland
2018-present Professor, Charles Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland
2018-present Founder & Chairman & CSO, Blafar Ltd.
2019-present Founder & Chairman, Branca Bunús Ltd.
2011-present Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Principal Investigator, Ph.D., FRSC (Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry)

Previous Employment:
2013-2018 Associate Professor, Charles Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland
2010-2018 Founder & Chairman & CSO, Vornia Ltd. (acquired by Ashland Inc.)
11.2013 Professor in Synthetic/Polymer Chemistry, the Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, UK
2009-2013 Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Stokes Lecturer in Functional Biomaterials, Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB), National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES), Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering & Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, (NUI Galway), Ireland
2008-2009 University Fellow (Teaching and Research) in Biomedical Engineering (Functional Biomaterials), NUI Galway, Ireland
2007-2008 Senior Research Fellow, Advanced Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering Group, School of Pharmacy, the University of Nottingham, UK
2001-2006 Senior Research Fellow, Green Chemistry Group, School of Chemistry, the University of Nottingham, UK
2000-2001 Research Fellow, Centre for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM), University of Liege, Belgium

Biography:
Wenxin Wang is Full Professor in Skin Research and Wound Healing, a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Principal Investigator at the Charles Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University College Dublin (UCD), and a member of UCD Academic Council. He won the highly prestigious “Young Scientist Prize in Regenerative Medicine” in 2010 at TERMIS-EU conference, the “SFI Principal Investigator award” in 2011 and the DEBRA Award for Excellent EB Patient Service in 2014, which highlight his work ethic and achievements. Prof. Wang’s scientific interests are in the areas of biomaterials, stem cell and gene therapy for the treatments of skin wounds, cartilage/bone regeneration, dental tissue regeneration, tissue sealant/adhesive. His scientific contribution and achievements have been recognized both nationally and internationally including 251 peer-reviewed scientific journal papers (Nat. Commun., Nat. Rev. Chem., Sci. Adv., Angew. Chem., JACS, Chem. Sci., ACS Nano and Nano Letters etc.), 5 book chapters, 36 patents, 174 conference abstracts and presentations, and 123 invited lectures and keynote presentations. Since 2009 he has graduated 27 PhD students and mentored over 29 postdoctoral researchers. His achievements have gained the increased interest in the wider public community with publicity media activities (56 times in TV Documentary, Videos and Newspapers), for example in RTE-TV, ‘The Sunday Times’, ‘The Irish Times’, ‘Science Daily’ and ‘Chemistry World’. He has been awarded significant funding (ca. 13.62 million Euros) from different sources, e.g., SFI, Health Research Board (HRB), Irish Research Council (IRC), Enterprise Ireland (EI) and European Union (EU-FP7 & EU Horizon 2020) to support his research activities. Prof. Wang has acted as the symposium convener and chair, the member of organizing committees and the member of the conference advisory board for 34 international conferences and has been selected as an expert reviewer and panel member by 28 international research councils and funding bodies. As the founder, Prof Wang has launched 3 companies - Vornia Ltd (www.vornia.com, acquired by Ashland - a Fortune500 US company in Jan. 2018, renamed as Ashland Specialties Ireland), Blafar Ltd. (www.blafar.com), and Branca Bunús Ltd. (www.brancabunus.com). These three companies currently hire 25 employees in Ireland. Furthermore, he has 30 patents in collaboration with industry partners: Ashland, Amryt Biopharm, Blafar and Branca Bunús, and successfully launched and commercialized 5 newly developed technologies onto the market.

COMMERCIALIZATION

•Founder & Chairman & CSO: Vornia Ltd. (acquired by Ashland Inc.), website: www.vornia.com
•Founder & Chairman & CSO: Blafar Ltd., website: www.blafar.com
•Founder & Chairman: Branca Bunús Ltd., website: www.brancabunus.com
•Intellectual Properties: 36 Granted Patents; 20 Filled Patent Applications; 30 Licensed IPs to industry partners: Ashland Specialties Ireland Ltd., Blafar Ltd., Branca Bunús Ltd. and Amryt Biopharma.
•Successfully launched and commercialized 5 newly developed technologies onto the market.

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS

•Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
•Member of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS)
•Member of European Society for Biomaterials (ESB)

E-mail: [email protected]
Prof. Wenxin Wang University Webpage: https://people.ucd.ie/wenxin.wang

Research Fellow: Dr. Irene Lara Sáez

Irene Lara Sáez

 

Research Project
•Epidermolysis Bullosa
•Gene therapy
•Animal experimentation

Email: [email protected]


Post-Doctoral Researcher: Dr. Jing Lyu

Jing Lyu

 

Research Project
•Monte Carlo simulation
•Controlled/living polymerization

Email: [email protected]


Post-Doctoral Researcher: Dr. Xianqing Wang

Xianqing Wang

 

Research Project
•Gene therapy for EB
•Gene transfection

Email: [email protected]


Post-Doctoral Researcher: Dr.Rijian Song

SRJ1.jpg

 

Research Project
•Formulation and characterisation of HA-based hydrogel
•Exosomes loaded Injectable hydrogel for chronic wound healing

Email: [email protected]


Post-Doctoral Researcher: Dr. Melissa Johnson

Melissa Johnson

 

Research Project
•Functionalisation of ECM-based biopolymers
•Wound healing

Email: [email protected]


Post-Doctoral Researcher: Dr. Yinghao Li

Yinghao Li

 

Research Project
•Highly branched poly(β-amino ester)s
•Gene delivery

Email: [email protected]


Post-Doctoral Researcher: Dr. Josie Ward

Josie Ward.jpg

 

Research Project
• Polymer-based non-viral gene delivery
• Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) gene therapy

Email: [email protected]


Ruth Foley (Project manager)

Ruth

 

DTIF Project
•A Disruptive Gene Therapy Platform
•Replacing Viruses in the Treatment of Genetic Conditions

Email: [email protected]


Cameron Milne (4th year PhD)

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Research Project
•Functionalisation of ECM-based biopolymers

Email: [email protected]


Zishan Li (4th year PhD)

LZS1.jpg

 

Research Project
•Controlled/living radical polymerization (ATRP, Cu(0)-mediated RDRP and RAFT)
•Controlled polymerization of multivinyl monomers towards various applications

Email: [email protected]


Albina Bushmalyova (3rd year PhD)

Albina Bushmalyova.jpg

 

Research Project
• Epidermolysis Bullosa
• Gene Therapy
• Plasmids

Email: [email protected]


Chunyu Zhao (3rd year PhD)

Chunyu Zhao.jpg

 

Research Project
• Injectable hydrogel
• Drug delivery

Email: [email protected]


Liang Yao (2nd year PhD)

Liang Yao.jpg

 

Research Project
• Advanced Drug Delivery Systems
• Multifunctional Applications of Peptides in Biomedicine

Email: [email protected]


Qiang Geng (2nd year PhD)

Qiang Geng.jpg

 

Research Project
• Single chain cyclized polymers
• Tough biocompatible hydrogels

Email: [email protected]


Francesca Santoro Ferrer (2nd year PhD)

Francesca.jpg1

 

Research Project
• Injectable hydrogel for wound healing
• Gene therapy

Email: [email protected]


Irene Reuben (1st year PhD)

IreneReuben.jpg

 

Research Project
• Polymer-based non-viral gene deliver
• Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) gene therapy

Email: [email protected]


Runqi Zhu (1st year PhD)

RunqiZhu.jpg

 

Research Project
• Biopolymer hydrogel regulating stem cell fate

Email: [email protected]


Yuxin Jin (1st year PhD)

YuxinJin.jpg

 

Research Project
• Functional drug delivery system
• Exosome loaded hydrogel

Email: [email protected]


Hang Yin (Visiting Student)

Hang Yin1

 

Research Project
• Polymerization mechanism
• Monte Carlo kinetics simulation

Email: [email protected]


Yi Situ (Research Assistant)

SituYi.jpg

 

Research Project
•Controlled/living polymerization
•Computational chemistry

Email: [email protected]


Visiting Scientist: Dr. Sigen A

Sigen A

 

Research Project
•In situ formed hydrogel scaffold combining stem cell for the wound healing

Email: [email protected]


Visiting Scientist: Dr. Zhonglei He

HZL

 

Research Project
•Gene therapy
•Intracellular interactions of gene delivery materials

Email: [email protected]


Visiting Scientist: Dr. Dezhong Zhou

Dezhong Zhou

 

Research Project
•RAFT polymerization
•Polysaccharide
•Gene delivery

Email: [email protected]


Wenxin’s Group 2024 August

Wenxin’s Group 2024 April

Wenxin’s Group 2023 December

Wenxin’s Group 2021 July

Wenxin’s Group 2019 August

Wenxin’s Group 2018 August

Charles’ All Staff 2018

Wenxin’s Group 2017 June

Wenxin’s Group 2016 August

Wenxin’s Group 2016 March

Wenxin’s Group 2015 August

Wenxin’s Group 2015 JUNE

Wenxin’s Group 2014 SEPTEMBER

Wenxin’s Group 2014 MAY

Wenxin’s Group 2013 NOVEMBER

Wenxin’s Group 2012 NOVEMBER and 2013 JUNE

Wenxin’s Group 2011 SEPTEMBER

Wenxin’s Group 2011 May

Graduated Student

Dr. Yu Zheng (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

Sofia Kivotidi

Dr. Sofia Kivotidi (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Tianyu Zhao (Graduated PhD)

Dr. Hong Zhang (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

Dr. Yixiao Dong (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Lara Cutlar (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Sean McMahon (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Yongsheng Gao (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Ligia Bre (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Ming Zeng (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Patrick Duffy (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Fatma Alshehri (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Waqar Hassan (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Kennedy Robert (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Jose Parente (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Ahmed Aied (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

Dr. Xiaolin Li (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Jonathan O'Keeffe Ahern (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Xi Wang (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Qian Xu (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

wXY

Xiaoyu Wang (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

wXY

Ben Newland (Graduated PhD, Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Bei qiu (Graduated PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Linru Guo (Graduated master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yue Qin (Graduated master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Zhao Meng (Graduated master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Jack Creagh-Flynn

Jack Creagh-Flynn (Graduated master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Zehua Li (Graduated master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Haiyang yong

Haiyang Yong (Graduated master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yongpeng Miao

Yongpeng Miao (Graduated master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Former Postdoctoral

Dr. Xuejun Hu (Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Udo Greiser (Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Aram Saeed (Former Postdoctoral)

Dr. Eva Murauer (Former Postdoctoral)

Dr. Hongliang Cao (Former Postdoctoral)

Dr. Wei Wang (Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Raili Koivuniemi (Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Artturi Koivuniemi (Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Jing Zhang (Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Darío Manzanares Sandoval (Former Postdoctoral)

E-mail: [email protected]

Former Visting

Dr. Jose-Ramon Sarasua (Former Visiting Scientist)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Lizhu Yang (Former visiting Scientist)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Xueyan Yun (Former visiting Scientist)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Tongfan Hao (Former visiting Scientist)

E-mail: [email protected]

Rubén Martín (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: Email: [email protected]

Luwei Lu (Former visiting Master)

E-mail: Email: [email protected]

Huda Alhamdan (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Sophia Franciscani Mendes (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Raphael Esteves Marinho (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Lars Krabbe (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dubaa Marie (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Verena Böhmer (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Martin Karl (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Jianyuan Huang (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Xuan Wei (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Shuai Liu (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Caroline Delehedde (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Julien LeBoterff (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Marine Cognet (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Benedikt Kruse (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Denise Eustergerling (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Nicole Schmidt (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Gladys Ogeto (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Xiaoying Lee (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Nataliya Perera (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Maaike Schotman (Former visiting master)

E-mail:[email protected]

Katharina Wöss (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Sirong Li (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Luca Pierucci (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yalu Zou (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Jem Vasquez (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Elisa Zattarin (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Manon Venet (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Peiyao Xue (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Meng Wang (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Ilaria Belfiore (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Hind Eddahani (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Ting Chien Cham (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Sing Wei Ng (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Brian Le Moal (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Peter McMicheal (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Lucas Fournet-Fayard (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Sergio Esteban Perez (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Xiaobei Huang (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yuetao Li (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yuanning Lyu (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Jennifer Lynch (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Julia Malone (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Jake Daly

Jake Daly (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Grainne Geoghegan

Grainne Geoghegan (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Ziyue Wang

Ziyue Wang (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Sebastian Determann

Sebastian Determann (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Frederik Wassenberg

Frederik Wassenberg (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Magali Hita

Magali Hita (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Krutika Singh

Krutika Singh (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yann Bordelanne

Yann Bordelanne (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Marie Laurencon

Marie Laurencon (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Isabel Orlando

Isabel Orlando (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Subha Purkayastha

Subha Purkayastha (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Elena Marcello

Elena Marcello (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

José Javier López Cano

José Javier López Cano (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yao Wang

Yao Wang (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Anne-Sophie Gatelet

Anne-Sophie Gatelet (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Sosthène d'Hauthuille

Sosthène d'Hauthuille (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Pierre Albert

Pierre Albert (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Holly Doyle

Holly Doyle (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Andreia Ascenso

Andreia Ascenso (Former Visiting Scientist)

E-mail: [email protected]

Chloe Pritchard

Chloe Pritchard (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Lunhao Chen

Lunhao Chen (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Yi Cai

Yi Cai (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Carolin Ricker (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Alba Aragon Navas (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Miriam González-Cela Casamayor (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Ayan Osman (Former visiting Undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Plínio Rodrigues-2021

Plínio Rodrigues (Former visiting PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]

Altan Demircan (Former visiting master)

E-mail: [email protected]

Xingang Li (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Dana Friess (Former research assistant)

E-mail: [email protected]

Alina Raicu (Former visiting undergraduate)

E-mail: [email protected]

Jing Wu (Former visiting scientist)

E-mail: [email protected]