Assistant Professor

Ph.D., Connecticut: Synthesis and Patterning of Polymers for Biomedical Application

Brief Bio

Dr. He received her bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Tianjin University (China) in 1998. She then came to study in University of Connecticut and earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2003.  Her dissertation research included biomaterials synthesis, surface modification, and cell-material interaction. Dr. He continued her interests in the biomedical field by conducting her postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Professor Ravi Bellamkonda in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research project focused on developing bioactive coatings to improve tissue reaction against implantable neural electrode. In the fall of 2006, she joined Professor Buddy Ratner's group at University of Washington to develop novel biodegradable elastomeric materials for soft tissue engineering. In 2007, Dr. He was appointed as a faculty at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering at University of Tennessee. At the interface of biology and engineering, Dr. He will continue her research effort in enhancing neural implant biocompatibility, and developing new biomaterials to promote nerve regeneration.  

Research Areas

• Responsive surface coating for enhanced tissue integration of neural prostheses
• Functional biomaterials for peripheral nerve regeneration
• Bioactive surface engineering for orthopedic applications

Selected Awards and Honors

2012 Departmental Faculty Award for Excellence in Research
2011 Departmental Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching
2011 National Science Foundation Career Award
2004 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) – Neural Interface Workshop Travel Award, Bethesda, MD
1997 Dow Chemical (USA) – Tao's Scholarship Award, Tianjin, China
1996 Ministry of National Chemical Industry – Xinhua Scholarship Award, Tianjin, China

Professional Activities

• Biomedical Engineering Society
• Materials Research Society
• Society of Biomaterials

Selected Publications

Y. Cao, W. He, "Functionalized biocompatible poly(N-vinyl-2-caprolactam) with pH-dependent lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behaviors", Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2011, 212, 2503-2510.

J. Page, B. A. Heitz, J. R. Joubert, J. P. Keogh, T. Sparer, S. S. Saavedra, W. He, "In vitro assessment of macrophage attachment and phenotype on polymerized phospholipid bilayers", Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 2011, 97A, 212-217.

L. Huang, Z. Cao, H.M. Meyer III, P. Liaw, E. Garlea, J.R. Dunlap, T. Zhang, W. He, "Responses of bone-forming cells on pre-immersed Zr-based bulk metallic glasses: effects of composition and roughness", Acta Biomaterialia, 2011, 7, 395-405.

Y. Cao, W. He, "Synthesis and characterization of glucocorticoid functionalized poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone): a versatile prodrug for neural interface", Biomacromolecules, 2010, 11, 1298-1307.

Z. Cao, R. Gilbert, W. He, "Simple agarose-chitosan gel composite system for enhanced neuronal growth in three dimensions", Biomacromolecules 2009, 10, 2954-2959.

W. He, G.C. McConnell, T.M. Schneider, R.V. Bellamkonda, "A novel anti-inflammatory surface for neural electrodes", Advanced Materials, 2007, 19, 3529-3533.

W. He, C.R. Halberstadt, K.E. Gonsalves. "Lithography application of a novel photoresist for patterning of cells", Biomaterials, 2004, 25, 2055-2063.

W. He, K.E. Gonsalves, J.H. Pickett, C. Halberstadt. "Synthesis, Characterization, and Preliminary Biological Study of Poly(3-(t-butoxycarbonyl)-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)", Biomacromolecules, 2003, 4, 75-79.

Selected Patents

Kenneth E. Gonsalves, Wei He, Biocompatible resists, PCT Int. Appl. 2004 WO 2004099373, A2 20041118 (pending)