Benjamin M Wu

Biography

"Dr. Ben Wu is Professor and Chair of the Division of Advanced Prosthodontics, and the Director of the Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology at the School of Dentistry. He also chairs the Department of Bioengineering at the School of Engineering. Dr. Wu provides multidisciplinary patient care in the UCLA Faculty Group Dental Practice, where he focuses on the treatment of advanced, complex oral rehabilitation using implant, fixed, and removable prosthodontics. He is a fellow of the Academy of Prosthodontics. He joined the UCLA School of Engineering in 2000 and holds formal academic appointments in the Department of Bioengineering in the School of Engineering, Division of Advanced Prosthodontics in the School of Dentistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in School of Medicine."

Research Interest

Dr. Wu is internationally recognized for his cutting-edge research in the formation of biomimetic apatites, development of bioinspired growth factors, and engineering of biomimetic microenvironment to deliver cells, proteins, and genes to promote repair and regeneration of hard and soft tissues. Dr. Wu has been highly prolific throughout his entire career (over 120 original research articles, 9 issued patents with more pending) and has been continuously funded by federal research grants. Professor Wu’s research group has extensively analyzed the effects of processing parameters on the formation of biomimetic apatites, and his fundamental understanding has led to applications in the areas of art conservation, drug delivery, separations, and biosensors. His research group has also shed light on the interplay between orthobiologic growth factors and adult stem cells in the area of bone repair. His experimental skills are complemented by insightful mathematical modeling of complex, moving boundary diffusion-reaction problems that have led to key design criteria for tissue engineering, material degradation, and cancer survival mechanisms. His work has impacted clinical disciplines ranging from Orthopedics, Interventional Radiology, Urology, Pediatric Surgery, Orthodontics, and Dentistry.