Professor Tony Weiss is the McCaughey Chair in Biochemistry, Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biotechnology, and Leader of the Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine Node at the Charles Perkins Centre, and member of the Bosch Institute and Sydney Nano Institute at the University of Sydney.
He is President-Elect (global) of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society, immediate past President of the Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand and was elected Chair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society for Asia-Pacific.
Professor Weiss has pioneered research into human tropoelastin (the protein building-block that gives tissue its elasticity), discovered how to assemble it into synthetic elastin biomaterials that accelerate and improve the repair of scars and wounds, and commercialised his discoveries. He is on the Editorial Boards of 10 international scientific journals, and an inventor on 95 awarded patents in 18 patent families.
His prizes include the Eureka Prize for Innovation in Medical Research, NSW Premier’s Prize for Science & Engineering Leadership in Innovation, Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, Innovator of Influence Award, RACI Applied Research Medal, FAOBMB Entrepreneurship Award, MBSANZ Barry Preston Prize, ASBTE Research Excellence Award, Australian Innovation Challenge Prize, and the Order of Australia.
Martina Stenzel studied chemistry at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, before completing her PhD in 1999 at the Institute of Applied Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Germany. She started as a postdoctoral fellow at UNSW in 1999 and is now a full Professor in the school of chemistry as well as co-director of the Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD). In 2017, she was promoted to UNSW Scientia Professor.
Martina Stenzel published more than 300 peer reviewed papers mainly on polymer and nanoparticle design. Her research interest is focused on the synthesis of functional nanoparticles for drug delivery applications. She is in particular interested in combining synthetic polymers with nature’s building such as sugars and proteins to create biocompatible and bioactive carriers for delivery of a range of drugs. She is especially passionate about the characterization of nanoparticles and the correlation between nanoparticle properties and biological activity of drug carriers.
She is scientific editor of Materials Horizons and serves currently on a range of editorial boards. She received a range of awards including the 2011 Le Fèvre Memorial Prize of the Australian Academy of Science and the 2017 H. G. Smith Medal of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Martina is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and is currently the chair of the National chemistry Committee.
Prof. Changsheng Liu is a Distinguished Professor and Vice President in East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST). He also serves as the director of Engineering Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education. Dr. Liu received a Ph.D. Degree in Chemical Engineering from ECUST in 1996. His research interest includes hard tissue repair biomaterials and nano-scaled biomedical materials. He has more than 300 refereed journal publications, 70 patents and invention disclosures, and 3 edited books. Because of excellent innovations and significant contributions, Dr. Liu has received lots of honors and awards, including Fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2018, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) in 2017, Second-prize Winner of National Award for Natural Sciences in 2014, International Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering in 2012, Second-prize Winner of National Award for Science and Technology Progress in 2003, etc. Dr. Liu also offered the editorial responsibilities for the many journals including Biomaterials Research, Journal of Orthopedic Translation, Journal of Inorganic Materials, Biomatter, and International Journal of Biomedical Engineering. Besides a highly gifted chemist, Dr. Liu is a successful entrepreneur. He has commercialized a series of medical products and worked as the co-founder of three Biotech companies including Shanghai Rebone Biomaterials Co., Mainuoshi Medical and Shanghai Wego Biotechnology. More importantly, with the leadership of Dr. Liu over the past 20 years, Rebone has developed into a high-tech company and established an track record of accomplishments, including three registered trademarks, 6 calcium phosphate cement (CC)-based products, 1 bio-engineered growth factor product, and ¥23-million total sales income. Up to now, various CPC-based products by Rebone have been on sale in 30 provinces of China and used in more than 500 hospitals. The high valued CPC products developed by Dr. Liu and coworkers have received the excellent reputation from the international counterparts as “the frontier of bone repairing technology” and brought great economic benefits.
Ki Dong Park received his Ph.D in Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Utah, USA in 1990. After a postdoctoral training at CCCD in Utah, he worked as a principle research scientist at Korea Institute of Science and Technology from 1991 to 2000. He joined the faculty in the Department of Molecular Science and Technology, and Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering at Ajou University in 2000. He has been working in many national committees as a chair or member. He was the president of the Korean Biomaterials Society in 2013. He is a Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering of the International Union of Societies of Biomaterials Science and Engineering. He is serving as Congress President of World Biomaterials Congress to be held in Korea 2024. He is an regional editor of Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers and editorial board member of many journals including JBMR;A. He has published over 290 scientific publications, possessed 60 patents, and joined many book chapters. He also received many awards for his contributions to the biomaterial societies and scientific achievements. His research interests are wide-ranging from implants, controlled drug delivery, tissue regeneration and biomimetic surface modification.
He received his Ph.D. of Engineering from Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan in 1996 (Prof. M. Akashi). Following his research life as a postdoctoral fellow in University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA (Prof. A.S. Hoffman’s Lab., 1996-1997), National Institute of Sericultural Entomological Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan (Dr. Y. Tamada’s Lab., 1997-1999), National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan (Dr. J. Tanaka’s Lab. 1999-2000). He took up the Division Head for Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Osaka, Japan (2000-2010). He is currently Professor for Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kinki University from 2010. He had been the Department Chair (2011-2018) and Vice Dean (2016-2018). He received also Ph.D. of Med. Sci. from Osaka University, Osaka, Japan in 2016 (Prof. Y. Sawa, Cardiovascular Surgery). His research activities are in the fields of material science concerning polymer and ceramics for medical devices, artificial organs and regenerative medicine. Basically, his research aims for increasing of QOL and ADL of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, because he is living over 32 years by all renal replacement therapy such as center hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, home-hemodialysis and kidney implantation from donor brain death.
Dr. Feng-Huei Lin was born in 1957 in Taiwan. He obtained his BS degree in Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan, in 1980. After obligated army service, he was invited to be a teaching assistant in Department of ES, NCKU, in 1982. Then in 1983, Dr. Lin joined the Functional Ceramics Lab in Institute of Materials Sciences and Engineering, NCKU, to conduct research in Bio-ceramic and Composite for Orthopaedics; where he received the training both in Materials Technology and Medical Science. During the PhD training, he was not only to take course in engineering school, but also in medical school; that included biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, pathology, anatomy… He was honoured as PhD degree with 12 SCI publications in November, 1989. In early 1990, Dr. Lin was recruited as an associate professor in Centre for Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University (NTU); where he started his academic career. In 1997, he was promoted to the full professor. He organized to setup the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in NTU and served as acting director in the institute (1997-1999). Afterwards, Dr. Lin was invited to be the first director in Department of Biomedical Engineering of NTU-hospital with engineering background (2003-2005). Then he returned to Institute of Biomedical Engineering, NTU, as director (2005-2008). Assigned by National Science Council, Taiwan Dr. Lin made the budget allocation and future 10-year financial plan as the Convenor of Biomedical Division (2006-2009). Then Dr. Lin transferred to Division of Biomedical Engineering, National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), as the director and took charge of the development of biomaterials and yissue engineering (2008-2012). Now, he is the distinguished professor in NTU, chair professor in National Taipei University of Technology, executive editor of Journal of Biomedical Engineering and international fellow of International College of Biomaterials Sciences and Engineering. Dr Lin has served as standing committee members in many international societies since 1996. He was the permanent international advisory board in Ceramic, Cell and Tissue (CCT) (1998-2010); and served as the President in 2010. He was one of the standing committee members in WACBE (2005-) and council member in TERMIS-AP Chapter (2009-2011). He also served as editorial board members in many SCI journals, e.g. Biomaterials, International Journal of Biomaterials, International Journal of Biomater Resear and Eng, Journal of Musculoskeletal Research etc. Since 1990, Dr Lin has published over 350 SCI papers, joined 9 book chapters, awarded 47 patents and transferred 14 technologies to industry. His research is in scaffold for tissue engineering, nano-technology for drug and gene delivery, bio-nano-science for cancer hyperthermia, biomaterials for stem cell research, and hydrogel for vitreous body substitute. He is willing to involve in collaborations with researchers and scientists from different fields; and dedicates to mentoring young scientists. With his integrated experiences both in academic research and industry，Dr. Lin is devoting to promote the research achievements to commercial product.
Dr. Deepthy Menon is a Professor at the Centre for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita Viswavidyapeetham (University), India. She received her Ph.D in Physics from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and completed her post-doctoral trainings from the Technical University of Eindhowen, The Netherlands; National Cancer Institute, Maryland, USA and International School of Photonics, Cochin University, India. She joined Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in 2006 as Assistant Professor to work at the interphase of nanotechnology and biology for biomedical applications. Her current research is primarily focused on understanding the potential of nanoscale engineering of biomaterials and medical implants for translational applications in the fields of tissue engineering & regenerative medicine and cancer nanomedicine. Her pioneering work in transforming polymeric nanofibers to novel medical textiles has led to the development of highly dynamic polymeric 3D constructs with defined architecture for a wide range of biomedical applications, especially in orthopedic, dental and cardiovascular areas. She is the inventor of 8 patents and her research team has produced more than 100 research publications. She is the recipient of several recognitions in her research career including the Young Research Award from International Union of Materials Research Society, Young Scientist Fellowship and BOYSCAST fellowship, both from Department of Science & Technology [DST], Government of India. She serves as the Council Member of Materials Research Society of India and Task Force Member of Nanosafety Regulations in India.
Prof. Tuan (Ph.D., Rockefeller University) was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson University, and Chief of the Cartilage Biology and Orthopedics Branch of the NIH, prior to joining the University of Pittsburgh in 2009 as Founding Director, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering, and Professor and Executive Vice Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Professor in the Department of Bioengineering. Dr. Tuan was appointed a Distinguished Professor in 2014 and received the Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award in 2015. In 2018, Prof. Tuan moved to Hong Kong and became the Eighth Vice-Chancellor and President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and also founded the Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at CUHK. He is a recipient of multiple awards in recognition of his achievements in tissue regenerative science and technologies, including the Marshall Urist Award, Clemson Award, Carnegie Science Award, and was inducted as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2017. A prolific author of more than 450 research publications, Prof. Tuan’s multidisciplinary research team focuses on the development, growth, function, and health of the musculoskeletal system, the biology of adult stem cells, and the utilization of this knowledge to develop stem cell- and smart biomaterial-based technologies, such as 3D printing and tissue-on-a-chip, to regenerate and/or restore function to diseased and damaged neuromusculoskeletal tissues.
Shyni Varghese, Ph.D., is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, and Orthopaedics Surgery at Duke University. She is the inaugural MEDx Investigator at Duke University. Prior to moving to Duke, she was a Professor of Bioengineering at University of California, San Diego. Dr. Varghese’s research covers a broad range of topics including stem cells, biomaterials, biologically inspired systems, and regenerative medicine. Her research activities have resulted in over 100 publications and 12 patent disclosures. Examples of ongoing research activities in her laboratory involve developing functional biomaterials such as self-healing hydrogels and biomineralized matrices; technologies to improve cell-based therapies including stem-cell differentiation, cell transplantation, activating endogenous stem cells, and engineered functional tissue grafts; and organ-on-a-chip technologies. She is currently serving as an Associate Editor of Biomaterials Science (an RSC journal).
