Aijun Wang, professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, is the director of the Center for Bioengineering in Medicine.
Wang is also a Chancellor's Fellow and the vice chair for translational research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the Department of Surgery.
The Center for Bioengineering in Medicine integrates engineering, biology and clinical medicine to translate biological discoveries into engineered solutions that improve diagnosis, treatments and disease prevention.
“Dr. Wang’s work bridging engineering and medicine, from regenerative therapies to clinical trials, demonstrates the power of collaborative science,” said School of Medicine Dean Susan Murin. “We are excited to see how he will continue to build upon the Department of Surgery’s internationally recognized bench-to-bedside research breakthroughs with this new center.”
Wang's lab engineers and develops stem cells, gene therapies and nanomedicine, translating these technologies from the lab to clinical trials. He is the co-principal investigator of the CuRe Trial — the world's first spina bifida treatment combining fetal surgery with stem cells — and is also working to develop a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Wang is also the principal investigator on grants exploring in-utero treatments for cleft palates and Dup15q syndrome.
Diana Farmer and Wang co-founded the Center for Surgical Bioengineering based in the Department of Surgery in 2011.
Farmer is a distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Surgery and chief of Pediatric Surgery at Shriners Children’s – Northern California.
“Our mission is to engineer biology in ways that lead to real cures,” said Wang. “By bringing together engineers, clinicians and scientists, the Center for Bioengineering in Medicine is creating a pipeline that moves discoveries from the laboratory to new diagnostics, regenerative therapies and treatments to benefit patients in extraordinary ways.”
Aijun Wang and Diana Famer co-founded the Center for Surgical Bioengineering based in the Department of Surgery in 2011.
About the Center for Bioengineering in Medicine
The Center for Bioengineering in Medicine builds upon the strong foundation and internationally recognized impact of Wang and Farmer’s trailblazing work.
The center collaborates with interdisciplinary teams across the School of Medicine and UC Davis and industry partners on translational programs and clinical trials.
Wang’s lab was among the first in Aggie Square on the UC Davis Sacramento campus. Aggie Square is a first-of-its-kind, $1 billion innovation district anchored by UC Davis and developed by Wexford Science + Technology of Baltimore, Maryland.
Wang is the principal investigator for numerous research grants, including ongoing grants exploring in-utero treatments for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, spina bifida and cleft palates.
