Hua Wang

Hua Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), with affiliations in the Cancer Center at Illinois, Department of Bioengineering, Carle College of Medicine, Materials Research Laboratory, Beckman Institute (part-time), and Institute for Genomic Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from UIUC (2016) and a B.S. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China (2012).

His research focuses on engineering cells and biomaterials for targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine. Key interests include metabolic glycan labeling for cancer targeting, biomaterials for immune cell modulation, and development of cancer vaccines. He has pioneered methods to track and modulate cells in vivo using chemistry and synthetic biology tools.

His recent articles emphasize cancer immunotherapy and biomaterial applications, with a focus on enhancing vaccine efficacy and improving cell-based therapies. His work bridges materials science, immunology, and oncology, addressing challenges in personalized medicine and therapeutic delivery.

• Scientific Awards: NSF CAREER Award, NIH R01 Award, Scialog Fellow, CMBE New Innovator
• Grants: NIH NCI R21, DoD CDMRP Idea Development Award, Cancer Center at Illinois Bridge Award

Wang’s lab actively collaborates across disciplines, supported by funding from agencies like NIH and the Grainger Foundation. He teaches courses including MSE 474 (Biomaterials and Nanomedicine) and MSE 457 (Polymer Chemistry).