• Back to Faculty

Research Interests

Keywords: Transplant Tolerance, Immunomudulation, Stem cells, Microsurgery

Description of Research Activities: My research focus is aimed at understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of graft rejection and identifying effective/safe strategies such as various immunosuppressive drugs, biological reagents, and stem cells to ultimately achieve transplant accommodation or tolerance in transplant recipients. We have developed a unique system: “mouse-to-primates-to-human” that bridges basic research and clinical application. Our research has provided fundamental insights into the understanding of transplantation rejection. Our long-term research goal is to increase the number of living donors for organ transplantation and improve immunological graft acceptance in transplant patients.

Selected Publications

1. Ge W, Jiang J, Baroja ML, Arp J, Zassoko R, Liu W, Bartholomew A, Garcia B, and Wang H. Infusion of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Rapamycin Synergize to Attenuate Alloimmune Responses and Promote Cardiac Allograft Tolerance. American Journal of Transplantation 2009; 9(8):1760-1772.
2. Wang H, Ge W, Arp J, Zassoko R, Liu W, Ichim TE, Jiang J, Jevnikar AM and Garcia B. Free Bone Graft Attenuates Acute Rejection and in Combination with Cyclosporine Leads to Indefinite Cardiac Allograft Survival. Journal of Immunology 2009; 182: 5970-5981.
3. Rother RP, Arp J, Jiang J, Ge W, Faas SJ, Liu W, Gies DR, Jevnikar AM, Garcia B, and Wang H. C5 Blockade with Conventional Immunosuppression Induces Long-Term Graft Survival in Presensitized Recipients. American Journal of Transplantation 2008; 8: 1129 - 1142.
4. Haeryfar SMM, Lan Z, Leon-Ponte M, Duffy KRL, Ge W, Liu W, Mele T, Garcia B and Wang H. Prolongation of cardiac allograft survival by rapamycin and the invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell glycolipid agonist OCH. Transplantation 2008; 86: 460-468.
5. Liu W, Zassoko R, Mele T, Luke P, Sun H, Liu W, Garcia B, Jiang J and Wang H. Establishment of duodeno-jejunal bypass surgery in mice: a model designed for diabetic research. Microsurgery 2008; 28(3): 197-202.
6. Wang H, Arp J, Liu W, Faas S, Jiang J, Gies D, Garcia B, Zhong R and Rother R. Inhibition of Terminal Complement Components in Presensitized Transplant Recipients Prevents Antibody-Mediated Rejection Leading to Long-Term Graft Survival and Accommodation. Journal of Immunology 2007; 179: 4451-4463.
7. Wang H, Arp J, Huang X, Liu W, Ramcharran S, Jiang J, Garcia B, Kanai N, Min W, O’Connell PJ, and Zhong R. Distinct subsets of dendritic cells regulate the pattern of acute xenograft rejection and susceptibility to cyclosporine therapy. Journal of Immunology 2006; 176(6): 3525-35.
8. Wang H, Hosiawa K, Min W, Yang J, Zhang X, Garcia B, Ichim TE, Zhou D, Lian D, Kelvin D and Zhong R. Cytokines regulate the pattern of rejection and susceptibility to cyclosporine therapy in different mouse recipient strains after cardiac allografting. Journal of Immunology 2003; 171(7): 3823-3836.
9. Wang H, DeVries ME, Deng S, Khandaker MH, Pickering JG, Chow LH, Garcia B, Kelvin DJ and Zhong R. The axis of interleukin 12 and gamma interferon regulates acute vascular xenogeneic rejection. Nature Medicine 2000; 6: 549-55.