Academic Staff

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Professor Cheng DONG

Associate Vice President (Mainland Research Advancement), Director of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute (SZRI), Chair Professor of Cell Engineering and ImmunoMedicine

M501J
+852 3400 8811
cheng.dong@polyu.edu.hk

Biography

Professor Dong obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China in 1982. He further received his higher degrees from Columbia University, USA, including Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics in 1984, as well as Master of Philosophy degree in 1986 and Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1988, both in Bioengineering and Engineering Mechanics. Professor Dong joined the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), USA, as Assistant Professor in 1992 and was promoted to Associate Professor and Professor in 1997 and 2003 respectively. He has been appointed as Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering since 2009 and served as Department Head of Biomedical Engineering at Penn State during 2011-22.

Professor Dong is a Member of the United States National Committee on Biomechanics; a Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), and the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE); a Council Member of the International Society of Biorheology; a past Chair of the BMES Cellular & Molecular Bioengineering Special Group; and a past Secretary of the US national Biomedical Engineering Council of Chairs. He is a Managing Editor for Frontiers in Bioscience; an Associate Editor for BMES Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering, Molecular and Cellular Biomechanics; and an Editorial Member of the Journal of Medical Biomechanics and Journal of Medicine in Novel Technology and Devices. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Faculty Career Award from the US National Science Foundation; Faculty Research Award from the American Cancer Society; Y.C. Fung Investigator Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Melville Medal and Best Journal Paper Award from ASME; and Harold Lamport Young Investigator Award from BMES.

A major focus of Professor Dong's research is to elucidate cellular functions in the circulatory system related to cell adhesion and migration, and study micro-hemodynamics, cellular biomechanics, inter-/intra-cellular signaling, cancer immunology and metastases. In particular, he investigates how fluid dynamics, adhesion kinetics and tumor microenvironment change leukocyte and endothelial immune functions which subsequently affect tumor cell extravasation and metastasis. In recent years, Professor Dong focuses on cell engineering and adaptive immunotherapies, using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) immune cell mediated nanoparticle, drug, antibody or miRNA deliveries that target either brain tumors across the blood-brain barrier or inflammatory responses in regenerative tissues.

Professional Qualifications

Fellow, International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE; 2020 – present).
Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE; 2001 - present).
Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES; 2005 - present).

Academic and Professional Experience

Chair Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, 2023 - current
Distinguished Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 2009 – 2023
Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 2003- 2009
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 1997 - 2003
Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 1992 - 1997
Staff Fellow, National Center for Research Resources / National Cancer Institute, NIH, USA, 1990 - 1992
Postgraduate Research Fellow, Department of Applied Mechanics and Engineering Sciences, University of California San Diego, USA, 1988 - 1990

Academic Administration Experiences

Associate Vice President (Mainland Research Advancement), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, 2023 - current
Director of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute (SZRI), 2023 – current
Department Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 2011 – 2022
Co-Director, Graduate Option of Biomolecular Transport Dynamics / Graduate Program in Integrative Biosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, USA, 2000 – 2006

Research Overview

My research areas mainly focus on the interface of human immune cell functions and cancer / inflammatory microenvironments, including cell engineering and adaptive immunotherapies that target either brain tumors across the blood-brain barrier or inflammatory responses in regenerative tissues.

Research Interests

Achievements

2020 Elected to Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE).
2014 Elected to Secretary of the Biomedical / Bioengineering Council of Chairs.
2014 Elected to Chair of the Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Special Interest Group (SIG), Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
2011 Elected to Council Member of the Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Special Interest Group (SIG), Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
2008 Elected to Council Member of the International Society of Biorheology.
2005 Elected to Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
2001 Elected to Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
1999 Elected to the Board of Directors of Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
1999 Elected to Member of the U.S. National Committee on Biomechanics (USNCB).
1995 Recipient of the Y.C. Fung Investigator Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) - Achievement recognition in bioengineering research.
1995 Recipient of the Faculty CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
1994 Recipient of the Faculty Research Award from the American Cancer Society.
1992 Recipient of the Harold Lamport Young Investigator Award from the BMES.
1990 Recipient of the Melville Medal from ASME - The highest ASME distinguished literature award for technical publication.
1989 Recipient of the Best Journal Paper Award from the Bioengineering Division of ASME.

Intercellular singling events related to immunoediting of neutrophils, CD11/CD18 activation and binding, and inflammatory cytokine IL-8 regulations. Changes in neutrophils activation and adhesion in response to inflammatory signals are studied. This pioneered work has shown how immune cells, neutrophils in particular, could be altered by pathophysiological microenvironment that facilitate disease progression. Key players involved abnormal expressions of IL-8 and CD11/CD18-mediated adhesion.

Peng, H.H., Liang, S., Henderson, A.J. and Dong, C. 2007. Regulation of interleukin-8 expression in melanoma-stimulated neutrophil inflammatory response. Experimental Cell Research 313: 551-559.
Liang, S., Fu, C., Wagner, D., Guo, H., Zhan, D., Dong, C., and Long, M. 2008. 2D Kinetics of b₂ integrin-ICAM-1 bindings between neutrophils and melanoma cells. Am. J. Physiol. 294: C743-C753.
Huh, S.J., Liang, S., Dong, C. and Robertson, G.P. 2010. Transiently entrapped circulating tumor cells interact with neutrophils to facilitate lung metastasis development. Cancer Research 70: 6071-6082.
Zhang, P., Ozdemir, T., Chung, C.-Y., Robertson, G.P. and Dong, C. 2011. Sequential binding of α_vβ₃ and ICAM-1 determines fibrin-mediated melanoma capture and stable adhesion to CD11b/CD18 on neutrophils. J. Immunology 186: 242-254.

Neutrophil dynamic adhesion under flow conditions studied by side-view optical imaging with the micro-PIV (Particle Imaging Velocimetry). Micro-PIV adds an additional capability in acquiring quantitative flow profiles over adherent cells. By combining the techniques of side-view imaging and PIV, the combined systems make possible for studies of the forces underlying adhesion by permitting characterization of the local hydrodynamics conditions around adherent cells. CD11a/CD18 and ICAM-1, and P-selectin mediated leukocyte adhesion and rolling influenced by shear flows were studied.

Cao, J., Donell, B., Deaver, D.R., Lawrence, M.B. and Dong, C. 1998. In vitro side-view technique and analysis of human T-leukemic cell adhesion to ICAM-1 in shear flow. Microvasc. Res. 55: 124-137.
Dong, C. and Lei, X. 2000. Biomechanics of cell rolling: Shear flow, cell-surface adhesion, and cell deformability. J. Biomechanics 33: 35-43.
Leyton-Mange, J., Sung, Y., Henty, M., Kunz, R.F., Zahn, J., and Dong, C. 2006. Design of a side-view particle imaging velocimetry flow system for cell-substrate adhesion studies. ASME - J. Biomech. Eng. 128: 271-278.
Fu, Y., Kunz, R., Wu, J., and Dong, C. 2012. Study of local hydrodynamic environment in cell-substrate adhesion using side-view micro-PIV technology.PLoS ONE 7(2): e30721.

Cell extravasation related to circulatory flow conditions and IL-8 mediated adhesive intercellular signaling. This design, for the first time, simulates dynamic extravasation of circulating cells from the vascular circulation to the tissue space through cell adhesion to and migration through the endothelial barrier. The technology leads several important studies on how blood flow affects circulating tumor cells arrest on the endothelium and subsequent extravasation by mechanisms of IL-8 signaling and CD11b/CD18 mediated intercellular adhesion.

Slattery, M., Liang, S. and Dong, C. 2005. Distinct role of hydrodynamic shear in PMN-facilitated melanoma cell extravasation. Am. J. Physiol. 288 (4): C831-839.
Liang, S., Slattery, M., and Dong C. 2005. Shear stress and shear rate differentially affect the multi-step process of leukocyte-facilitated melanoma adhesion. Experimental Cell Research 310: 282-292.
Liang, S., Sharma, A., Peng, H.H., Robertson, G. and Dong C. 2007. Targeting mutant (V600E) B-raf in melanoma disrupts immunoediting of leukocyte functions and melanoma extravasation. Cancer Research 67: 5814-5820.
Liang, S., Slattery, M., Wagner, D., Simon, S.I., and Dong, C., 2008. Hydrodynamic shear rate regulates melanoma-leukocyte aggregations, melanoma adhesion to the endothelium and subsequent extravasation. Ann. Biomed. Eng. 36: 661-671.

Endothelial junction disassembly mediated by inflammatory cytokines and intercellular adhesion. We developed an in vitro model where we can assess retraction of the endothelium during cell extravasation. The disruption of intercellular channels or disassembly of vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin allows the passage of soluble proteins and cells. The method developed is capable of studying intracellular signaling events that regulate the endothelial cell gap junction in response to environmental cues.

Peng, H.H. and Dong, C. 2009. Systemic analysis of tumor cell-induced endothelial calcium signaling and junction disassembly. Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering 2(3): 375-385.

Khanna, P., Yunkunis, T., Muddana, H., Peng, H.H., August, A. and Dong, C. 2010. p38 MAP Kinase is necessary for melanoma-mediated regulation of VE-cadherin disassembly. Am. J. Physiol – Cell Physiol. 298: C1140-50.
Khanna, P., Chung, C.Y., Neves, R.I., Robertson, G.P., Dong, C. 2014. CD82/KAI expression prevents IL-8 mediated endothelial gap formation in late-stage melanomas. Oncogenes 33: 2898-2908.
Aragon-Sanabria, V., Pohler, S.E., Eswar, V.J., Bierowski, M., Gomez, E.W., and Dong, C. 2017.VE-Cadherin disassembly and cell contractility in the endothelium are necessary for barrier disruption induced by tumor cells. Scientific Reports.

Immune cell-mediated drug delivery. Combining previously focused cell signaling / adhesion / extravasation studies with cell engineering to develop immune cell-based drug delivery strategies for immunotherapies.

Xie, Z., Su, Y., Kim, G.B., Selvi, E., Ma, C., Aragon-Sanabria, V., Hsieh, J.T., Dong, C., Yang, J. 2017. Immune cell-mediated biodegradable theranostic nanoparticles for melanoma targeting and drug delivery. Small 2017, DOI: 10.1002/smll.201603121.
Shi, P., Wang, X., Davis, B., Coyne, J., Reynolds, J., Dong, C., and Wang, Y. 2020. In situ synthesis of aptamer-based polyvalent antibody mimic on the cell surface for enhanced immune-cancer cell interactions. Angewandte Chemie International.
Kim, G.B., Aragon Sanabria, V., Randolph, L., Jiang, H., Reynolds, J.A., Webb, B.S., Madhankumar, A., Lian, X., Connor, J.R., Yang, J., Dong, C. 2020. High-affinity mutant Interleukin-13 targeted CAR T cells enhance delivery of clickable biodegradable fluorescent nanoparticles to glioblastoma. Biomaterials. Bioactive Materials 5: 624-635.
Han L., Wu, X., Wang, O., Luan, X., Velander, W.H., Aynardi, M., Halstead, E.S., Bonavia, A.S., Jin, R., Li, G., Wang, Y., Dong, C., and Lei, Y. 2023. Mesenchymal stromal cells and alpha-I antitrypsin have a strong synergy in modulating inflammation and its resolution. Theranostics 13(9): 2843-2862. doi: 10.7150/thno.83942.

Yang, J., Dong, C., Xie, Z. “Compositions and methods for targeted delivery of therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents, PCT/US2017/027331.”

Dong, C. et al. (Editors). 2018. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology: Biomechanics in Oncology, Springer U.S. ISBN 978-3-319-95293-2.
Aragon-Sanabria, V., Kim, G.B., Dong, C. 2018. From cancer immunoediting to new strategies in cancer immunotherapy: The roles of immune cells and mechanics in oncology. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology: Biomechanics in Oncology (a book chapter), Springer U.S. ISBN 978-3-319-95293-2. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95294-9
Dong, C. 2010. Adhesion and signaling of tumor cells to leukocytes and endothelium in cancer metastasis. In: Cellular and Biomolecular Mechanics and Mechanobiology, Vol. 4, pp. 477-521 (a book chapter), Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg. ISBN: 978-3-642-14217-8.
Dong, C. 2001. “Micromechanics of tumor cell deformation, adhesion and migration.” In: Recent Advances in Biomechanics (a book chapter), Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, pp. 56-63.
Dong, C., You, J., Aznavoorian, S., Savarese, D. and Liotta, L.A. 1994. Actin polymerization and gel osmotic swelling in tumor cell pseudopod formation. In: Cell Mechanics and Cellular Engineering (a book chapter), Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 515-533.
Chadwick, R. S. and Dong, C. 1993. Theoretical relationship among myocardial tissue and cavity pressures, contractility, and vascular volume change. In: Recent Advances in Coronary Circulation (a book chapter), Springer-Verlag, Tokyo, pp. 126-134.
Dong, C. and Skalak, R. 1991. A finite element model of white blood cells. In: Computers in Biomedicine (a book chapter), Computational Mechanics Publications, Boston, pp. 169-180.