Wenji Piao

Wenji Piao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, specializing in immunology and transplantation research. His work focuses on T cell migration mechanisms and allograft tolerance, with emphasis on regulatory T cell (Treg) dynamics in lymphatic systems.

Education:

• Dr.med/Ph.D. in Molecular Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Germany (thesis published in Blood)
• Postdoctoral training: La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (San Diego) and RIKEN Center for Allergy and Immunology (Yokohama)
• Advanced training in TLR biochemistry, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Dr. Piao's research integrates molecular immunology and cell biology to investigate how lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTβR) signaling in lymphatic endothelial cells regulates Treg migration during transplantation. His work demonstrates that Tregs migrating via lymphatics (not blood vessels) prolong graft survival, with LTβR-mediated NF-kappa B signaling as a critical control point. He has developed peptide inhibitors targeting LTβR and TLR pathways to modulate immune responses, advancing therapeutic strategies for transplant tolerance. His expertise spans murine models of cardiac/islet transplantation, asthma, arthritis, and sepsis, utilizing techniques including microarray analysis and advanced molecular imaging.

Recent publications (2015-2020) reveal an evolution from foundational TLR signaling studies toward translational lymphatic immunology, with consistent focus on molecular mechanisms of immune tolerance. Key themes include sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor regulation of T cell trafficking, LTβR-mediated endothelial signaling, and decoy peptide therapeutics.

Scientific Awards:

• Living Legacy Foundation Transplantation Grant (2016-2017)
• Living Legacy Foundation Grant for LTβR peptide modulation (2016-2018)

As co-Principal Investigator with Dr. Bromberg, Dr. Piao leads NIH-funded research on lymphotoxin-dependent T cell migration, developing inhibitory peptides to control inflammation in transplantation. His laboratory work involves mentoring junior researchers in molecular techniques and murine disease models, with future work focused on clinical translation of migration-targeted therapies.

Based in Dr. Bromberg's laboratory at the University of Maryland Biopark, Dr. Piao's team employs multidisciplinary approaches to dissect Treg-lymphatic endothelial interactions, with particular emphasis on the role of lymphotoxin in transplant tolerance mechanisms.