Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/07/2015
3:00 pm

ABSTRACT: Utility of polymers in pharmaceutical and biomedical research has led to the creation of a vast array of diagnostic and therapeutic agents with great potential for clinical applications. Yang laboratory has been dedicated to the development of novel polymers, nanoscale structures and high-dimensional structures with desirable properties and functions for drug and nucleic acid delivery. His team has applied those delivery systems to tackle delivery issues encountered in various medical problems such as cancer, CNS disorders, and glaucoma. In his talk, he will discuss the molecular rational design and synthesis of novel polymeric nanomedicine and present latest pre-clinical progress made in his laboratory with an emphasis on brain cancer and head and neck cancer treatment.

BIO: Dr. Hu Yang received his B.E. degree in Chemical Fiber/Polymer from Sichuan University, China, in 1998. He received his Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Akron in 2004. After working as a postdoctoral research scientist in School of Pharmacy at University of Wisconsin-Madison for a year, Dr. Yang joined the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University in September 2005 as Assistant Professor with a primary appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and established the Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Laboratory. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2011. He is a member of VCU Massey Cancer Center. His early research and education activities have been recognized by NSF CAREER Award and Wallace H. Coulter Translational Research Award. Dr. Yang’s research has been well funded by grants from various sources such as NSF, NIH, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, and U.S. Department of Commerce. Dr. Yang has authored over 40 research articles and book chapters. He is Associate Editor of Nanomedicine and Nanobiology. He routinely serves on study sections for National Cancer Institute and panels for National Science Foundation.