Photo of Kevin  Lo, Ph.D.

Kevin Lo, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Department of Medicine, Endocrinology
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Institute of Materials Science (IMS)
Assistant Director
Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative Engineering
Academic Office Location:
UConn Health
293 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT 06030-6404
Phone: 860-679-2949
860-679-5576
Email: wlo@uchc.edu
Education
DegreeInstitutionMajor
B.Sc.Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyBiochemistry
M.Phil.Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyBiochemistry
Ph.D.Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyBiochemistry

Post-Graduate Training
TrainingInstitutionSpecialty
FellowshipUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterSupervisor: Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Name & DescriptionCategoryRoleTypeScopeStart YearEnd Year
Orthopeadic Research and Education Foundation (OREF)Advisory CommitteeReviewerExternalNational2023
NICHD/Development Biology Study SectionStudy SectionPanelistExternalNational20232023
CDMRPStudy SectionPanelistExternalNational20232023
NSF/EFRI PanelStudy SectionPanelistExternalNational20222022
BiomedicinesEditorial BoardEditorial Board memberExternalInternational2022
NIH Small Business GrantsStudy SectionPanelistExternalNational2022
Frontiers in Bioengineering and BiotechnologyProfessional/Scientific JournalAssociate EditorExternalInternational2021
CDMRPAdvisory CommitteePeer review panelExternalNational20212021
NIH Small Business GrantsStudy SectionPeer review panelExternalNational20212021
Swiss National Science FoundationResearch CommitteePeer ReviewerExternalInternational20202020
PLoS ONEEditorial BoardAssociate EditorExternalInternational2019
ASSAY and Drug Development TechnologiesEditorial BoardBoard MemberExternalInternational2019
F1000 ResearchEditorial BoardRefereeExternalInternational2019
Society for BiomaterialsProfessional/Scientific OrganizationBiomaterials Forum ReporterExternalInternational2019
Israeli Ministry of Science and TechnologyAdvisory CommitteePeer ReviewerExternalInternational20192019
Aetna Health Cafe SeriesCommunity ServiceOrganizerExternalRegional2018
Society for BiomaterialsProfessional/Scientific OrganizationPublication CommitteeExternalInternational2018
Connecticut Convergence Institute for Translation in Regenerative EngineeringProfessional/Scientific OrganizationAssistant Director of EducationUConn HealthLocal2018
New Investigator grants, Orthopeadic Research and Education Foundation (OREF)Advisory CommitteePeer ReviewerExternalNational20182020
Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI)/BioFab USAAdvisory CommitteeWorking Group MemberExternalNational2017
Research Experience Mentoring (REM) summer research program funded by NSFEducation CommitteeProgram LeadExternalRegional2017
Regenerative Engineering Society of AIChEProfessional/Scientific OrganizationBoard MemberExternalInternational2016
Kavli Science Café SeriesCommunity ServiceOrganizerExternalRegional2016
Regenerative Engineering and Translational MedicineProfessional/Scientific JournalAssistant Managing EditorExternalInternational2016
Core Interest Group (CIG) of CICATSResearch CommitteeCoordinatorUConn HealthRegional20162018
Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS)Investigator AdvocateUConn HealthRegional20142018
Advances in Regenerative BiologyEditorial BoardBoard MemberExternalInternational20142018
J. of Racial and Ethnic Health DisparitiesProfessional/Scientific JournalDeputy EditorExternalInternational2013
Current Pharmaceutical DesignProfessional/Scientific JournalGuest EditorExternalInternational20132013
University of Connecticut Stem Cell Institute (USCI)OtherInvestigatorUConn HealthLocal20132016
Institute for Regenerative EngineeringOtherAssistant ProfessorUConn HealthLocal20122018
Society for BiomaterialsProfessional/Scientific OrganizationMemberExternalInternational2009
The American Society for Cell BiologyProfessional/Scientific OrganizationMemberExternalInternational20042008
Cells, Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Trends in Biotechnology, Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Current Pharmaceutical Design, Journal of Biomaterials Science: Polymer Edition, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Current Medicinal Chemistry, Cell Health and CytoskeletonProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalInternational
Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Current Drug Delivery, Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine; J. Control Release; Biomaterial Science; Materials Chemistry and Physics; Acta Biomaterialia; Drug Delivery; ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces; International Journal of Pharmaceutics; Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, J. of Racial and Ethnic Health DisparitiesProfessional/Scientific JournalReviewerExternalInternational

Project 1: Small Molecule based Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering The utilization of small molecules for engineering musculoskeletal tissues has been largely overlooked. We envision that this trend is very likely to be reversed as advanced screening technologies have recently generated a large number of novel regenerative small molecule compounds, and advanced tissue engineering scaffolds continue to provide promise for controllable drug delivery to target tissues. We have chosen skeletal tissue as a test bed of small molecule-based regenerative engineering because of the challenge of treating skeletal diseases and injury clinically.


Project 2: Targeted Nanoscale Drug Delivery Vehicle for Bone Diseases.


Project 3: Intracellular drug delivery system utilizing cytoplasmic dynein motor protein.

Accepting new students.

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

  • Cytoplasmic Dynein Function Defined by Subunit Composition. Chapter 15
    Pfister, K.K. and Lo, K.W.-H.: Dyneins: Structure, Biology and Disease 2012 Jan;423-436
  • Biomimetric Matrices for Integrin-mediated Cell Adhesion
    Ashe, K.M., Lee, D.A., Lo, K.W.-H., Nair, L.S., and Laurencin, C.T. (2010) Biologically-Responsive Hybrid Biomaterials: A Reference for Material Scientists and Bioengineers 247-284
  • Calcium Phosphate based Ceramics for Biomedical Application. Biodegradable polymers in clinical use and clinical development.
    Lv, Q., Lo, K.W.-H., Nair, L.S., and Laurencin, C.T. Chapter 14 495-517

Editorials

  • Bone morphogenetic proteins for bone regeneration and their alternatives.
    Laurencin CT and Lo KWH (2013) Curr Pharm Des 19(19):3353

Reviews

Title or AbstractTypeSponsor/EventDate/YearLocation
Small molecule-based treatment approaches for long bone fracturesLecture2023University of Alberta
Harnessing small signaling molecules in musculoskeletal regenerative engineering: A Convergence ApproachTalkDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, UConn2020Storrs CT
Regenerative Engineering: The roles of Small MoleculeLectureUniversity of Hartford2020West Hartford, CT
Convergence and Regenerative EngineeringTalkThe Aetna Foundation2019YWCA Hartford
Cytoplasmic Dynein Associated Peptide-linked Nanoparticles for Non-viral Vector ApplicationsPosterWorld Biomaterials Congress2016Montreal, Canada
Inductive Small Molecule Regeneration: Convergence of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering.LectureWallace H. Coulter Foundation Lecture Series.2015Florida International University, Miami, FL,
Osteotropic Nanoscale Drug Delivery System via a Single Aspartic Acid as the Bone-targeting MoietyPosterBMES2015Tampa, FL
Development of Poly-aspartic Acid Peptide Linked PLGA-based Nanoparticles for Bone TargetingPlenary LectureBMES2014TX
Engineered Bone Tissue Through Short-term Administration of an Osteogenic Small MoleculePosterBMES2014TX
Inductive Small Molecule Regeneration: Convergence of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Regenerative EngineeringLectureUniversity of Houston2014Houston, TX