Dr. Guangwen Ren
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Dr. Guangwen Ren

Research Scientist
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA


Highest Degree
Ph.D. in Immunology from Rutgers University, USA

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Biography

Dr. Guangwen Ren completed his undergraduate studies at Shandong University, China, in 1999 and received his M.Sc. degree in Microbiology from Shandong University, China, in 2002. From 2002-2004, he worked for two bio-pharmaceutical companies in China, as Deputy Project Manager. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in immunology from a Rutgers-UMDNJ joint graduate program (Physiology and Integrative Biology), USA, in 2009. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow for 1 year in Department of Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology in Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA. Currently, he is a Research Teaching Specialist III in Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA.

His current research is focusing on how immune system interplays with adult stem cells. His findings have revealed important links between the immune system and the adult stem cells.

1). For one kind of adult Stem Cells-Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), his major interest is their immunosuppressive effect and its application. They have found the immunosuppression by such stem cells is not innate, but induced by the inflammatory cytokines produced by T cells and antigen presenting cells. The cytokine-induced immunosuppressive mediators are Nitric Oxide (NO) in mouse and indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO) in human. 2). For another adult stem cells-hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, his new findings indicated that the T cell product-IFNgamma can feed back to stimulate the hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell expansion to differentiate into more myeloid lineage cells.

Additionally, he has been involving in several other studies. In one study, his results indicated that TGF beta is dispensable for the molecular orchestration of Th17 cell differentiation. In another project, he found apoptotic cells induce immunosuppression through dendritic cells, with IFNgamma and NO as the critical factors.

He is an editorial board member of World Journal of Stem Cells (2009-2013), and the ad hoc reviewers for Oncogene, Journal of Immunology, Journal of Autoimmunity, Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Cellular & Molecular Immunology, Inflammation and Inflammation Research.

Area of Interest:

Molecular Sciences
100%
Immunology
62%
Immune Regulation
90%
Cellular Immunology
75%
Inflammation
55%

Research Publications in Numbers

Books
0
Chapters
0
Articles
0
Abstracts
0

Selected Publications

  1. Zhao, X., G.W. Ren, L. Liang, B. Zheng, J.A. Tischfield, Y.F. Shi and C.S. Shao, 2010. Brief report: Interferon-γ induces expansion of Lin-Sca-1+C-Kit+ cells. Stem Cells, 28: 122-126.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  2. Ren, G.W., X. Zhao, L.Y. Zhang, J.M. Zhang and A. L'Huillier et al., 2010. Inflammatory cytokine-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in mesenchymal stem cells are critical for immunosuppression. J. Immunol., 184: 2321-2328.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  3. Ren, G.W., J.J. Su, L.Y. Zhang, X. Zhao and W.F. Ling et al., 2009. Species variation in the mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cell-mediated immunosuppression. Stem Cells, 27: 1954-1962.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  4. Das, J., G.W. Ren, L.Y. Zhang, A.I. Roberts and X. Zhao et al., 2009. Transforming growth factor β is dispensable for the molecular orchestration of Th17 cell differentiation. J. Exp. Med., 206: 2407-2416.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  5. Xu, G.W., Y.Y. Zhang, L.Y. Zhang, G.W. Ren and Y.F. Shi, 2008. Bone marrow stromal cells induce apoptosis of lymphoma cells in the presence of IFNγ and TNF by producing nitric oxide. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 375: 666-670.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  6. Ren, G.W., J.J. Su, L.Y. Zhang, X. Zhao and J.M. Zhang et al., 2008. Apoptotic cells induce immunosuppression through dendritic cells: Critical roles of IFN-γ and nitric oxide. J. Immunol., 181: 3277-3284.
    PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  7. Ren, G.W., J.J. Su, L.Y. Zhang, X. Zhao and G.W. Xu et al., 2008. Mesenchymal stem cell-mediated immunosuppression occurs via concerted action of chemokines and nitric oxide. Cell Stem Cell, 2: 141-150.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  8. Xu, G.W., Y.Y. Zhang, L.Y. Zhang, G.W. Ren and Y.F. Shi, 2007. The Role of IL-6 in inhibition of lymphocyte apoptosis by mesenchymal stem cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 361: 745-750.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  9. Xu, G.W., L.Y. Zhang, G.W. Ren, Z.R. Yuan, Y.Y. Zhang, R.C. Zhao and Y.F. Shi, 2007. Immunosuppressive properties of cloned bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Cell Res., 17: 240-248.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |  
  10. Shi, Y.F., C.H. Liu, A.I. Roberts, J. Das and G.W. Xu et al., 2006. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and T-cell Responses: What we do and don't know. Cell Res., 16: 126-133.
    CrossRef  |  PubMed  |  Direct Link  |