Wei Wang, M.D. Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Kentucky Lions Eye Center

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CONTACT INFORMATION:
301 E. Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Louisville KY 40202
Telephone: 502-852-0733
E-mail: wei.wang@louisville.edu

EDUCATION:
M.D.:
Shandong Medical University, Shandong, China, 1993
M.S.
Shandong Academy of Medical Science, China, 1998
M.D., Ph.D.:
Qingdao University, School of Medicine, Qingdao, China,
2003
Residency:
Ophthalmology – Shandong Eye Institute & Hospital,
China – 1993-1998

Fellowships:
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, School of Medicine,
IN – 2004-2005
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Louisville, School of Medicine, KY – 2006-2010

Clinical Vitreoretinal & Uveitis fellow:
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Louisville, School of Medicine, KY – 2016

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

My translational research is focused on intervention therapies for rescuing photoreceptors in retinal degeneration disease such as cell-based therapies (e.g. stems cells), gene therapy or retinal prosthesis transplantation. We utilize various models of retinal degeneration and/or damage especially a miniature swine model of the most common form of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa – the Pro23His mutation of rhodopsin.  Our evaluation techniques include clinical examination, retinal imaging, histology (light microscopy and immunohistology), electrophysiology (full-field ERG and multifocal ERG) and visual behavioral testing.

PUBLICATIONS

1. Sandhu HS, Hajrasouliha A, Kaplan HJ, Wang W. Diagnostic Utility of Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction versus Culture in Endophthalmitis and Uveitis. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2018 Feb 22:1-5. PMID: 29470930
2. Kaplan HJ, Wang W, Dean DC. Restoration of Cone Photoreceptor Function in Retinitis Pigmentosa. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2017 Sep 6;6(5):5. PMID: 28900578.
3. Wang W, Syed R, Hadayer A, Jusufbegovic D, Schaal S. Twenty-Seven-gauge vitrectomy-Assisted four-point scleral fixation of intraocular Lens in the absence of capsular support. Retina. 2016 Aug;36(8):1605-8. PMID:27388734
4. Wang W, Lee SJ, Scott PA, Lu X, Emery D, Liu Y, Ezashi T, Roberts MR, Ross JW, Kaplan HJ, Dean DC. Two-Step Reactivation of Dormant Cones in Retinitis Pigmentosa.Cell reports. 2016; 15(2):372-85. PMID:27050517
5. Wang W, Zhou L, Lee SJ, Liu Y, Fernandez de Castro J, Emery D, Vukmanic E, Kaplan HJ, Dean DC. Swine cone and rod precursors arise sequentially and display sequential and transient integration and differentiation potential following transplantation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014 Jan 15;55(1):301-9. doi: 10.1167/iovs.13-12600. PMID: 24327609.
6. Ross JW, de Castro JP, Zhao J, Samuel M, Walters E, Rios C, Bray-Ward P, Jones BW, Marc RE, Wang W, Zhou L, Noel JM, McCall MA, Demarco PJ, Prather RS, Kaplan HJ. Generation of an inbred miniature pig model of retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Jan 13. PMID: 22247487.
7. Wang W, de Castro JF, Vukmanic E, Zhou L, Emery D, Demarco PJ, Kaplan HJ, Dean DC. Selective rod degeneration and partial cone inactivation characterize an iodoacetic acid model of Swine retinal degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011 Oct 7; 52(11):7917-23. PMID: 21896868.
8. Wang W, Noel JM, Kaplan HJ, Dean DC. Circulating reactive oxidant causes apoptosis of retinal pigment epithelium and core photoreceptors in the mouse central retina. Ophthalmology and eye diseases. 2011: 3:45-54. PMID: 23861623.
9. Zhou L, Wang W, Liu Y, de Castro JF, Ezashi T, Telugu BP, Roberts RM, Kaplan HJ, Dean DC. Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells of swine into rod photoreceptors and their integration into the retina. Stem Cells. 2011, Jun; 29(6):972-80. PMID: 21491544
10. Wei Wang, Douglas C. Dean, Henry J. Kaplan. Age-related macular degeneration (review). Discovery Medicine; 9(44): 13-5, 2010. PMID: 20102679.
11. Yongqing Liu, Ying Xin, Fei Ye, Wei Wang, Qingxian Lu, Henry J. Kaplan, and Douglas Dean. Taz-Tead1 links cell-cell contact to Zab1 expression, proliferation, dedifferentiation in retinal pigmented epithelial cells. Invest of Vision Science. 51(7): 3372-8, PMID: 20207963
12. Liu Y, Gao L, Zuba-Surma EK, Peng X, Kucia M, Ratajczak MZ, Wang W, Enzman V, Kaplan HJ, Dean DC. Identification of small Sca-1(+), Lin(-), CD45(-) multipotential cells in the neonatal murine retina. Exp Hematol. 37(9):1096-107, 2009. PMID: 19539690
13. Wei Fan, Xiaohong Li, Wei Wang, Junsong Mo, Henry J. Kaplan and N.G.F. Cooper. Early Involvement of Immune/Inflammatory Response Genesin Retinal Degeneration in DBA/2J Mice. Ophthalmology and Eye disease. 1: 1-19, 2009. PMID: 20352036
14. Mo J.-S, Wei Wang, Henry J. Kaplan. Impact of Inflammation on Ocular Immune Privilege (Review). Chem Immunol Allergy. 92:155-65, 2007. PMID: 17264491
15. Wenzheng Hu, Wei Wang, Xiaoxi. Qiao, et al. Lack of Spontaneous Neovascularization and Attenuated Response to Laser Induced Choroidal. Neovascularization in IGF–I Overexpression Transgenic Mice. Vision Research. 47; 776-782, 2007. PMID: 17275062
16. Dong Xiaoguang, Wei Wang, Xie Lixin. Long-term outcome of combined penetrating keratoplasty and vitreoretinal surgery using temporary keratoprosthesis. Eye. 20 (1); 59-63, 2006. PMID: 15688054
17. Wang Wei, Xie Lixin, Dong xiaoguang, et al. Transfer of endostatin gene for inhibition of retinal angiogenesis in mice. Zhonghua Yan Ke Za Zhi.  42(2):111-5, 2006. PMID: 16643724
18. Niu Xiaoguang, Wei Wang, Xie Lixin. Inhibition of corneal neovascularization by liposomes mediated plasmid encoding human endostatin. Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology. 41(3):260-4. 2005. PMID: 15840371
19. Wei Wang, Niu Xiaoguang, Xie Lixin, et al. Liposome mediated plasmids encoding human endostatin inhibits endothelial cell proliferation. Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology. 40(5):321-5. 2004. PMID: 15312627
20. Yan Xiaoran, Dong Xiaoguang, Chen Nan, Wei Wang. Anti-proliferative effect of sustained drug delivery system of all-trans retinoic acid implant into rabbit’s vitreous cavity for treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology. 39(10): 621, 2003. PMID: 14766078