Pin Wang Assistant Professor Chemical Engineering Viterbi School of Engineering

Education:
BS 1997 Materials Science & Engineering - University of Science and Technology of China
PhD 2003 Chemical Engineering - California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship:
2003-2004 California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

Started at USC: 2005

Research Topics: Cancer Treatment, Stem Cell Biology, Gene Therapy

Research Description

One of our research focuses is to develop novel gene delivery strategies and evaluate their therapeutic potentials ranging from correction of inherent genetic deficiency to cancer and anti-HIV therapies. We are particularly interested in engineering lentiviral vectors derived from HIV-1 for targeted gene delivery because such vectors stably infect both dividing and non-dividing cells and are not subject to the silencing imposed on other viral vectors. We incorporate de novo the designed surface proteins into lentiviral vectors to direct viral particles to specific cells. In addition, we also attempt to engineer insect virus for targeted gene delivery. To date, we have demonstrated in the laboratory several viable approaches to achieve the goal of delivering genes to specific cell types.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have the potential to serve as a renewable source to generate tissue-specific cells for various cell therapies. Genetically engineering hESC to differentiate into appropriate cell lineages could expand our ability to utilize stem cells for disease treatment. We are interested in genetically programming hESC to generate lymphocytes in cell culture system for adoptive cell therapy against cancer.

Another research focus in the laboratory is a large collaborative effort to use gene therapy for cancer treatment. The UCLA-CALTECH-CHLA-USC-UCONN Translational Program in Engineering Immunity was formed in late 2005 and is represented by 4 research universities, 9 academic departments, 2 gene therapy programs, 3 institutes and 3 cancer centers. The goal of this program is to focus a team of scientists from various disciplines to conduct translational research that will improve the care of patients. As one of members for this program, our group is working on viral vector engineering and T cell receptor engineering.

Publications not listed on Pubmed:

1. Qijing Zhang, Pin Wang, “Study on Fluorescence Behaviour of Eu3+ Containing Poly(methyl methacrylate)”, Chin. J. Polym. Sci. 1997, 15, 187-192.

2. Qijing Zhang, Pin Wang, Yan Zhai, “Refractive Index Distribution of Graded Index Poly(methyl methacrylate) Preform Made by Interfacial-gel

Polymerization”, Macromolecules, 1997, 30, 7874-7879.

3. Qijing Zhang, Pin Wang, “Analysis on Absorption Spectra of Nd3+ in Poly(methyl methacrylate)”, J. Mol. Stru., 1998, 440, 35-42.

4. Qijing Zhang, Pin Wang, Xuefeng Sun, Yan Zhai, Peng Dai, Bao Yang, Ming Hai, Jieping Xie, “Amplified Spontaneous Emission of an Nd3+-doped

Poly(methyl methacrylate) Optical Fiber at Ambient Temperature”, Appl. Phys. Lett., 1998, 74, 407-409.

5. Qijing Zhang, Pin Wang, Yan Zhai, “Preparation of Graded Index Plastic Rods Doped with Nd3+ by Interfacial-gel Polymerization”, J. Appl. Polym.

Sci., 1998, 67, 1431-1436.

6. Qijing Zhang, Xuefeng Sun, Pin Wang, “Preparation of Graded Index Plastic Rods Doped with Sm3+ by Interfacial-gel Polymerization”, Polymer

International, 1998, 45, 185-190.

7. Guru Kumaraswamy, Ravi K. Verma, A. M. Issaian, Pin Wang, Julie A. Kornfield, F. Yeh, B. S. Hsiao, R. H. Olley, “Shear Induced Crystallization in

Isotactic Polypropylene Part 2. Analysis of the Formation of the Oriented ‘Skin’”, Polymer, 2000, 41, 8931-8940.

Selected Publications

Yang L, Yang H, Rideout K, Cho T, Joo KI, Ziegler L, Elliot A, Walls A, Yu D, Baltimore D, Wang P. - Engineered lentivector targeting of dendritic cells for in vivo immunization. - Nat Biotechnol [ 2008 ] Feb 24; . PubMed

Kwon I, Wang P, Tirrell DA. - Design of a bacterial host for site-specific incorporation of p-bromophenylalanine into recombinant proteins. - J Am Chem Soc [ 2006 ] Sep 13;128(36):11778-83 . PubMed

Yang L, Bailey L, Baltimore D, Wang P. - Targeting lentiviral vectors to specific cell types in vivo. - Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A [ 2006 ] Aug 1;103(31):11479-84 . PubMed

Wang P, Fichera A, Kumar K, Tirrell DA. - Alternative translations of a single RNA message: an identity switch of (2S,3R)-4,4,4-trifluorovaline between valine and isoleucine codons. - Angew Chem Int Ed Engl [ 2004 ] Jul 12;43(28):3664-6 . PubMed