Ian Y. Wong, Ph.D.

(Currently) Damon Runyon-Merck Cancer Research Fellow, Center for Engineering in Medicine
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

(Previously) Graduate Student, Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University

Email: ianwong AT stanford DOT edu

Telephone: (617) 726-0809

Fax: (617) 724-2999

Office: BioMEMS Resource Center. Building 114, Room 1407. 114 16th St, Charlestown MA 02129

Biography:

I grew up in Stony Brook, NY and received my A.B. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University in June 2003. I worked in the group of Prof. David Weitz, where I drank lots of coffee with Margaret Gardel (now Prof!) and used multiparticle tracking techniques to study the microrheology of F-actin networks. I also did theoretical work with Prof. Michael Brenner on the development of novel algorithms for Brownian dynamics simulations, which led to a senior honors thesis.

I completed a Ph.D in Materials Science and Engineering in November 2009 with Prof. Nick Melosh at Stanford University, with support from an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2004-6). My research in the Melosh group focused on directed self-assembly of biomolecules using counterion-screened electric fields. Major research results include: 1) The ionic activation of F-actin to trigger polymerization and supramolecular assembly at electrode surfaces. 2) The regulation of DNA hybridization for combinatorial surface functionalization, as well as enhanced DNA target hybridization densities. 3) The development of a comprehensive model to elucidate electrostatic effects in DNA surface hybridization, allowing optimization of experimental parameters for DNA biosensor and microarray performance.

I am currently a Merck Fellow of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation at the Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School with Prof. Daniel Irimia and Prof. Mehmet Toner, working on cell biology and microfluidics.

Publications:

Subsets of human CD4(+) regulatory T cells express the peripheral homing receptor CXCR3.
André Hoernng, Kerith Koss, Dipak Datta, Leonard Boneschansker, Caroline N. Jones, Ian Y. Wong, Daniel Irimia, Katiana Calzadilla, Fanny Benitez, Peter F. Hoyer, William E. Harmon and David M. Briscoe. European Journal of Immunology. 41(8), 2291-2302 (2011)

Directional Decisions during Neutrophil Chemotaxis inside Bifurcating Channels
Vijayakrishnan Ambravaneswaran, Ian Y. Wong, Alexander J. Aranyosi, Mehmet Toner and Daniel Irimia. Integrative Biology. 2(11), 639-647 (2010).

An Electrostatic Model for DNA Surface Hybridization.
Ian Y. Wong and Nicholas A. Melosh. Biophysical Journal. 98(12), 2954-2963 (2010)

Dynamic actuation using nano-bio interfaces.
Ian Y. Wong, Benjamin D. Almquist and Nicholas A. Melosh. Materials Today. (invited review and cover) 13(6), 14-22 (2010)

Continuum model of mechanical interactions between biological cells and artificial nanostructures.
Piyush Verma, Ian Y. Wong and Nicholas A. Melosh. Biointerphases. 5(2), 37 (2010)

Directed Hybridization and Melting of DNA Linkers using Counterion-Screened Electric Fields.
Ian Y. Wong and Nicholas A. Melosh. Nano Letters. 9(10), 3521 (2009)

Electronically Activated Actin Protein Polymerization and Alignment.
Ian Y. Wong, Matthew J. Footer and Nicholas A. Melosh. Journal of the American Chemical Society 130(25), 7908 (2008)

Dynamic control of biomolecular activity using electrical interfaces.
Ian Y. Wong, Matthew J. Footer and Nicholas A. Melosh. Soft Matter (invited review and cover). 3, 267 - 274 (2007)

Microscopic Structure and Elasticity of Weakly Aggregated Colloidal Gels
A.D. Dinsmore, V. Prasad, I.Y. Wong and D.A. Weitz. Physical Review Letters. 96, 185502 (2006)

Anomalous Diffusion Probes Microstructure Dynamics of Entangled F-actin Networks.
I.Y. Wong, M.L. Gardel, D.R. Reichman, E.R. Weeks, M.T. Valentine, A.R. Bausch and D.A. Weitz. Physical Review Letters. 92, 178101 (2004)

Selected Conference Presentations

Gordon Research Conference: Gradient Sensing & Directed Cell Migration. Les Diablerets, Switzerland. June 2011.

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Fellows Retreat. West Dennis, MA. Sept 2010.

Bosch Research Electronics/Biochemistry Interface Workshop. Palo Alto, CA. Nov 2009.

Materials Research Society Spring Meeting. San Francisco, CA. April 2009.

Materials Research Society Spring Meeting. San Francisco, CA. March 2008. (Recipient, MRS Graduate Student Silver Award)

American Physical Society March Meeting. Denver, CO. March 2007. (Funded by a Stanford University Bio-X Travel Award)

Materials Research Society Fall Meeting. Boston, MA. November 2006.

Materials Research Society Spring Meeting. San Francisco, CA. April 2006.

Materials Research Society Spring Meeting. San Francisco, CA. March 2005.

American Physical Society March Meeting. Austin, TX. March 2003.