Overview

Dr Ran Wang graduated with her PhD in 2015, and after undertaking a postdoc position in Scripps Research, USA returned to Australia in 2017. She is now a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher supported by the prestigious Bushell Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the Gastroenterology Society of Australia. Dr Wang is interested to understand the nature of inflammation in gut and lung and investigate the local and systemic impacts of chronic gut inflammation. In addition to a growing track-record in the mucosal immunology field, she is also building an inter-disciplinary research profile in material science and nanotechnology for drug delivery and immune modulation. She is the Associate Editor of Frontier of Cellular and Infection Microbiology Journal since 2018.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Masters (Coursework) of Biotechnology, The University of Queensland

Publications

  • Sajiir, Haressh, Keshvari, Sahar, Wong, Kuan Yau, Borg, Danielle J., Steyn, Frederik J., Fercher, Christian, Taylor, Karin, Taylor, Breten, Barnard, Ross T., Müller, Alexandra, Moniruzzaman, Md, Miller, Gregory, Wang, Ran, Fotheringham, Amelia, Schreiber, Veronika, Sheng, Yong Hua, Hancock, Janelle Louise, Loo, Dorothy, Burr, Lucy, Huynh, Tony, Lockett, Jack, Ramm, Grant A., Macdonald, Graeme A., Prins, Johannes B., McGuckin, Michael A. and Hasnain, Sumaira Z. (2024). Liver and pancreatic-targeted interleukin-22 as a therapeutic for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 4528, 4528. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48317-x

  • Kumarapperuma, Hirushi, Wang, Ran, Little, Peter J and Kamato, Danielle (2024). Mechanistic insight: linking cardiovascular complications of inflammatory bowel disease. Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, 34 (3), 203-211. doi: 10.1016/j.tcm.2023.01.002

  • Moniruzzaman, Md, Rahman, M. Arifur, Wang, Ran, Wong, Kuan Yau, Chen, Alice C. -H., Mueller, Alexandra, Taylor, Steven, Harding, Alexa, Illankoon, Thishan, Wiid, Percival, Sajiir, Haressh, Schreiber, Veronika, Burr, Lucy D., McGuckin, Michael A., Phipps, Simon and Hasnain, Sumaira Z. (2023). Interleukin-22 suppresses major histocompatibility complex II in mucosal epithelial cells. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 220 (11) e20230106. doi: 10.1084/jem.20230106

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Grants

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Available Projects

  • Immune activation is the key to combat bacteria and viral infections. However, in some cases, overactivated immune cells are not only killing the bacteria or virus, but also causing damage to our own body. Activated immune cells release large amount of immune mediators “cytokine” to attract other immune cells and causing more damage. To break the vicious cycle, this project aims to develop “artificial cells” that can “mop up” excess cytokines therefore dampen the overactivated immune response. The artificial cells are generated to mimic normal immune cell function using nanotechnology in combination of immunotechniques. The efficacy of the artificial cells in blocking immune overactivation will be assessed in vitro using immune activation assays as well as in vivo using humanised mouse models.

View all Available Projects

Publications

Journal Article

Conference Publication

  • Rahman, M. A., Moniruzzaman, M., Wang, R., Harding, A., Wiid, P., Sajiir, H., Yong, K. Y., Sheng, Y., Mueller, A., Symon, H., Varelias, A., McGuckin, M., Phipps, S. and Hasnain, S. (2022). A novel role for interleukin-22 signaling in modulating mucosal epithelial cell antigen presentation machinery to control disease. Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) Australian Gastroenterology Week (AGW), Sydney, NSW, Australia, 9–11 September 2022. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Sajiir, Haressh, Wong, Kuanyau, Mueller, Alexander, Keshvari, Sahar, Wang, Ran, Macdonald, Graeme A., Prins, John, Mcguckin, Michael and Hasnain, Sumaira Z. (2022). Building a case for liver and pancreas targeted interleukin-22 therapy for use in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Digestive Disease Week 2022, San Diego, CA United States, 21-24 May 2022. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(22)60035-0

  • Sajiir, Haressh, Wong, Kuan Yau, Mueller, Alexandra, Keshvari, Sahar, Wang, Ran, Wiid, Percival, Macdonald, Graeme, Prins, John, McGuckin, Michael A. and Hasnain, Sumaira Z. (2022). Pancreatic Interleukin-22 Receptor Signaling is Critical in Maintaining Beta-Cell Insulin Production and is Hepatoprotective. Immunology 2022 Meeting, Portland, OR United States, 6-10 May 2022. Rockville, MD United States: American Association of Immunologists. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.208.supp.46.08

  • Wang, R., Moniruzzaman, M., Wang, K., Upham, J. W., McGuckin, M., Phipps, S. and Hasnain, S. Z. (2020). Blocking endogenous IL-22 is associated with reduced viral load and improved lung pathology in respiratory viral infections. International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society (ATS), Online, 10 November 2020. New York, NY, United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2020.201.1_meetingabstracts.a6530

  • Hasnain, S., Wang, R., Taylor, S., Wong, K. Y., Moniruzzaman, M., Upham, J., Spann, K., Mcguckin, M. A., Burr, L. and Phipps, S. (2020). Harnessing the therapeutic potential of interleukin-22 in neonatal respiratory viral infection. TSANZSRS 2020 The Australia & New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science and The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (ANZSRS/TSANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 27–31 March 2020. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/resp.13777

  • Moniruzzaman, M., Wang, R., Wong, K., Tong, H., McGuckin, M. and Hasnain, S. (2019). Interleukin-20 subfamily cytokines in controlling intestinal inflammation and epithelial barrier integrity. Congress of ECCO, Copenhagen, Denmark, 6-9 March 2019. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjy222.044

  • Wang, R., Taylor, S., Moniruzzaman, M., Wong, K., Upham, J., Spann, K., McGuckin, M., Phipps, S. and Hasnain, S. (2019). A novel role of IL-22 in regulating epithelial MHC molecule expression and antigen presentation during viral infection. 17th International Congress of Immunology (IUIS), Beijing, People's Republic of China, 9-23 October 2019. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley.

  • Wang, R., Giri, R., Moniruzzaman, M., Tong, H., Wong, K. Y., Begun, J., McGuckin, M. A. and Hasnain, S. Z. (2018). Enteric microbiota shape the inflammatory response in mice with a Muc2 misfolding mutation. Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) Australian Gastroenterology Week (AGW) “Gut Matters”, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 8-10 September 2018. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Moniruzzaman, M., Wang, R., Wong, K. Y., Tong, H., McGuckin, M. A. and Hasnain, S. Z. (2018). Interleukin-22: A potential therapy to control intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) Australian Gastroenterology Week (AGW) “Gut Matters”, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 8-10 September 2018. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Lineburg, Katie E., Le Texier, Laetitia, Melino, Michelle, Wang, Ran, Clouston, Andrew, Blazar, Bruce R., McGuckin, Michael A., Villadangos, Jose A., Mintern, Justine D. and MacDonald, Kelli P. A. (2018). Ubiquitin Ligase MARCH8 attenuates Graft versus Host Disease via Regulation of Gut Epithelial Cell Surface MHC II Expression. 27th International Congress of the Transplantation-Society (TTS), Madrid, Spain, 30 June - 5 July 2018. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. doi: 10.1097/01.tp.0000543013.84163.3a

  • Wang, R., Lourie, R., Tong, H., Giri, R., Schreiber, V., Begun, J., Florin, T., McGuckin, M. A. and Hasnain, S. Z. (2017). Targeting interleukin-23(p19) secretion from intestinal epithelial cells to improve intestinal barrier integrity in inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterological Society of Australia Australian Gastroenterology Week Precision Medicine in Gastroenterology, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 20–22 August 2017. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley.

  • Oancea, Iulia, Das, Indrajit D., de Carcer, Daniel Aguirre, Schreiber, Veronika, Wang, Ran, Sheng, Yong, Movva, Ramya, Cuiv, Paraic O, Duley, John, Begun, Jakob and Florin, Timothy H. (2016). 971d Colonic microbiota can promote rapid improvement of murine colitis by thioguanine independently of T-lymphocytes and host metabolism. Digestive Disease Week 2016, San Diego, CA USA, 21-24 May 2016. Philadelphia, PA USA: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(16)30737-5

  • Oancea, I., Das, I., de Carcer, D. Aguirre, Movva, R., Schreiber, V., Yang, Y., Proctor, M., Wang, R., Sheng, Y., Lobb, M., Cuiv, P. O., Duley, J. A., Begun, J. and Florin, T. H. J. (2016). Bacterial activation of thioguanine results in lymphocyte independent improvement in murine colitis. 11th Congress of ECCO - European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 16-19 March 2016. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjw019.177

  • Sheng, Yong H., He, Yaowu, Hasnain, Sumaira Z., Wang, Ran, Tong, Hui, Clarke, Daniel T., Lourie, Rohan, Oancea, Lulia, Wong, Kuanyau, Lumley, John W., Florin, Timothy H., Sutton, Philip, Hooper, John. D., Mcmillan, Nigel A. and Mcguckin, Michael A. (2016). MUC13 protects colorectal cancer cells from death by activating the NF-Kb pathway and is a potential therapeutic target. AACR 107th Annual Meeting on Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, New Orleans, Los Angeles, 16-20 April 2016 . Philadelphia, PA, United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2016-3564

  • Hasnain, S. Z., Taylor, S., Wang, R., Chen, A., Oancea, I, Das, I, Tong, H., Florin, T., Serisier, D., Coulson, B., Mcauley, J., Lourie, R., Phipps, S. and Mcguckin, M. (2016). Unravelling a novel mechanism by which cytokines induce ER stress to halt viral protein synthesis in mucosal epithelial cells. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, Australia, Aug 21-26, 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley - V C H Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. doi: 10.1002/eji.201670200

  • Gulhane, M., Murray, L., Wang, R., Tong, H., Mcguckin, M. and Hasnain, S. (2015). High fat diet and the colonic mucus barrier: implications for obesity and inflammatory bowel disease. Gastro 2015 GESA-AGW and WGO International Congress, Gastroenterological Society of Australia Australian Gastroenterology Week 2015 | World Congress of Gastroenterology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 28 September-2 October 2015. Richmond, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/jgh.13094

  • Wang, Ran, Hasnain, Sumaira Z., Tong, Hui, Lourie, Rohan, Florin, Timothy H. and McGuckin, Michael A. (2014). Direct Adverse Effects of IL-23 on Epithelial Cells Underline Greater Efficacy of Neutralizing IL-23 in Suppressing Murine Colitis. 55th Annual Meeting of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) / Digestive Disease Week (DDW), Chicago, Il, United States, May 03-06, 2014. Maryland Heights, MO, United States: W.B. Saunders Co.. doi: 10.1016/S0016-5085(14)62987-5

  • Sanchez, Washington Yamandu, Jr., Wang, Ran, Wilkinson, Andrew, Khalil, Dalia, Hart, Derek N. J., Catley, Laurence and Vuckovic, Slavica (2011). Immunoregulation of Human Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Monocytes by Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. 53rd Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH)/Symposium on the Basic Science of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, San Diego Ca, Dec 10-13, 2011.

Other Outputs

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • Immune activation is the key to combat bacteria and viral infections. However, in some cases, overactivated immune cells are not only killing the bacteria or virus, but also causing damage to our own body. Activated immune cells release large amount of immune mediators “cytokine” to attract other immune cells and causing more damage. To break the vicious cycle, this project aims to develop “artificial cells” that can “mop up” excess cytokines therefore dampen the overactivated immune response. The artificial cells are generated to mimic normal immune cell function using nanotechnology in combination of immunotechniques. The efficacy of the artificial cells in blocking immune overactivation will be assessed in vitro using immune activation assays as well as in vivo using humanised mouse models.