Dr. Shanfeng Wang
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Akron: Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Polymer Chemistry, Physics, and Rheology.
Brief Bio
Born in 1977, Dr. Wang earned his B.S. in Polymer Science and Engineering with a second major in Applied Mathematics from East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST, Shanghai) in 1997. Continuing at ECUST, he completed his M.S. in Polymer Science and Engineering in 2000, where he studied synthesis and photophysical properties of novel conjugated polymers. Dr. Wang received his Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Akron, Ohio in December 2003. His doctoral studies focused on chain dynamics of binary polymer blends using rheological and pulsed gradient NMR methods. In 2004, Dr. Wang joined Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) as a Research Fellow where he developed a series of novel crosslinkable and degradable polymeric systems for bone and nerve regeneration, and investigated the interactions between cells / tissues and polymer substrates / scaffolds. In 2007 Dr. Wang joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee and his research interests include biomaterials and tissue engineering, polymer chemistry, physics and rheology. Dr. Wang began a joint faculty appointment with the Biosciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2010. Dr. Wang has more than 50 research papers, including 4 invited book chapters and 3 review articles. He has also contributed to over 100 research presentations at conferences.
Research Areas
• Rational design, synthesis, physical properties, and processing of polymeric biomaterials for various tissue engineering applications
• Smart biomaterials such as shape memory polymers, biomimetic or bionic polymer/nanocomposite systems for medical applications
• Fabrication of biodegradable scaffolds and microfluidics, and effects of material properties and scaffold features on in vitro cell responses and in vivo tissue growth
• Cancer therapy and gene therapy based on polymeric nanoparticle carriers
Selected Awards and Honors
2008 Guest Professorship, East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), Shanghai, China
2006 Gordon Research Conference Travel Award, New London, CT
2002 Outstanding Thesis Award, ECUST, Shanghai, China
2000 Dow Fellowship Sponsored by Dow Chemical Co., ECUST, Shanghai, China
Professional Activities
• Society of Rheology (SoR), Member since 2001
• American Physical Society (APS), Member since 2002
• American Chemical Society (ACS), Member since 2003
• Materials Research Society (MRS), Member since 2006
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Member since 2006, Senior member since 2008
• Guest Editor of the special issue of “Formation and Photoluminescence of Fluorescent Polymers” and Lead Guest Editor for the annual special issue of “Polymeric Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering Applications”, International Journal of Polymer Science, 2009-present
• Member of Editorial Board for Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials, 2010-present
• Guest Editor for the Special Issue of “Advanced Nanohybrid Materials: Surface Modification and Applications,” Journal of Nanomaterials, 2011
Selected Publications
Cai, L.; Guinn, A. S.; Wang, S.* “Exposed Hydroxyapatite Particles on the Surface of Photo-crosslinked Nanocomposites for Promoting MC3T3 Cell Proliferation and Differentiation” Acta Biomaterialia 2011, 7(5), 2185-99.
Wang, K.; Cai, L.; Hao, F.; Xu, X.; Cui, M; Wang, S.* “Distinct Cell Responses to Substrates Consisting of Poly(ε-caprolactone) and Poly(propylene fumarate) in the Presence or Absence of Crosslinks” Biomacromolecules 2010, 11(10), 2748-59.
Cai, L.; Wang, S.* “Parabolic Dependence of Material Properties and Cell Behavior on the Composition of Polymer Networks via Simultaneously Controlling Crosslinking Density and Crystallinity” Biomaterials 2010, 31(29), 7423-34.
Cai, L.; Wang, K.; Wang, S.* “Poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted Poly(propylene fumarate) Networks and Parabolic Dependence of MC3T3 Cell Behavior on the Network Composition” Biomaterials 2010, 31(16), 4457-66.
Cai, L.; Wang, S.* “Elucidating Colorization in the Functionalization of Hydroxyl-containing Polymers Using Unsaturated Anhydrides/Acyl Chlorides in the Presence of Triethylamine” Biomacromolecules 2010, 11(1), 304-7.
Cai, L.; Wang, S.* “Poly(ε-caprolactone) acrylates Synthesized Using a Facile Method for Fabricating Polymer Networks to Achieve Controllable Physical Properties and Tunable Cell Responses” Polymer 2010, 51(1), 164-77.
Wang, S.; Kempen, D. H.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Lu, L. “The Roles of Matrix Polymer Crystallinity and Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles in Modulating Material Properties of Photo-crosslinked Composites and Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Responses” Biomaterials 2009, 30(20), 3359-70.
Wang, S.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Knight, A. M.; Gruetzmacher, J. A.; Windebank, A. J.; Lu, L. “Photo-crosslinked Poly(ε-caprolactone fumarate) Networks for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: Physical Properties and Preliminary Biological Evaluations” Acta Biomaterialia 2009, 5(5), 1531-42.
Wang, S.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Gruetzmacher, J. A.; Lu, L. “Photo-crosslinked Poly(ε-caprolactone fumarate) Networks: Roles of Crystallinity and Crosslinking Density in Determining Mechanical Properties” Polymer 2008, 49(26), 5692-9.
Wang, S.; Kempen, D. H.; Simha, N. K.; Lewis, J. A.; Windebank, A. J.; Yaszemski, M. J. Lu, L. "Photo-crosslinked Hybrid Polymer Networks Consisting of Poly(propylene fumarate) and Poly(caprolactone fumarate): Controlled Physical Properties and Regulated Bone and Nerve Cell Responses" Biomacromolecules 2008, 9, 1229-41.
Selected Patents
Wang, S.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Lu, L.; Currier, B. L. “Block Copolymer of Polycaprolactone and Poly(propylene fumarate)” International Publication Number: WO/2006/055940, International Application Number: PCT/US2005/042240.
Wang, S.; Lu, L.; Yaszemski, M. J. “Photocrosslinkable Poly(e-caprolactone fumarate)” International Publication Number: WO/2006/053031, International Application Number: PCT/US2005/40571.
Wang, S.; Lu, L.; Yaszemski, M. J. “Hydrophilic/hydrophobic Hybrid Polymer Networks Based on Poly(caprolactone fumarate) (PCLF), Poly(ethylene glycol fumarate) (PEGF), and PEGF-co-PCLF” International Publication Number: WO/2006/118987, International Application Number: PCT/US2006/016156.
Contact Dr. Wang
306D Dougherty Engineering Bldg.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-2200
Tel: (865) 974-7809
Email: swang16@utk.edu