PERSONAL EDUCATION
Postdoctoral Fellow (Tissue engineering), 2003-2005, Harvard University/University of Michigan
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, 2003, The University of Oklahoma
AFFILIATION
Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group
RESEARCH INTEREST
The normal formation and repair of human tissues is the result of a complex series of intra- and extracellular events culminating in functional tissue. The experimental strategy of delivering a single molecule to stimulate the body’s own mechanisms of growth and repair, either systemically or from a matrix, has assisted in our biological understanding of organogenesis. However, there is accumulating evidence that a single growth factor delivered as a protein for a short duration or as gene therapy for a slightly longer duration may not be sufficient for functionally significant regeneration of tissues such as heart, bone, cornea, and others. The presence of multiple factors (i.e. growth factors, cytokines, and cells) in varied concentrations during native repair suggests the combinatorial delivery of multiple signaling molecules coupled with the exposure of cells to biomimetic surfaces may enhance the formation, growth, and function of new tissues. Consequently, the guiding theme of my research is the engineering of tissues through the combination of synthetic and natural materials, bioactive moieties such as growth factors and cells, and physical stimulation in order to achieve a more natural engineered tissue.
I am also interested in the development of pharmacologic formulations that can assist in the treatment of heart attack and stroke. Encapsulation of clot-busting drugs in a variety of vehicles has previously demonstrated significant improvement over clinically used treatment options. We are developing new techniques to deliver these drugs which may result in viable treatment alternatives.
Research in the laboratory is highly interdisciplinary, employing methods in synthetic chemistry, cellular and molecular biology, materials characterization, drug delivery and gene therapy, and in vivo imaging.
PUBLICATIONS
Leach JK, Kaigler D, Wang Z, Krebsbach PH, Mooney DJ. Coating of VEGF-releasing scaffolds with bioactive glass for angiogenesis and bone regeneration. Biomaterials 2006;27:3249-3255.
Kong HJ, Liu J, Riddle K, Matsumoto T, Leach K, Mooney DJ. Non-viral gene delivery regulated by stiffness of cell adhesion substrates. Nature Mat 2005;4(6):460-4.
Leach JK, Mooney DJ. Bone engineering by controlled delivery of osteoinductive molecules and cells. Expt Op Biol Ther 2004;4(7):1015-1027.
Leach JK, Patterson E, O’Rear EA. Improving thrombolysis with encapsulated plasminogen activators and clinical relevance to myocardial infarction and stroke. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 2004(3-4):225-228.
Leach JK, Patterson E, O’Rear EA. Distributed intraclot thrombolysis: mechanism of accelerated thrombolysis with encapsulated plasminogen activators. J Thromb Haemost 2004;2(9):1548-1555 (cover of the issue).
Leach JK, Patterson E, O’Rear EA. Encapsulation of a plasminogen activator speeds reperfusion, lessens infarct and reduces blood loss in a canine model of coronary artery thrombosis. Thromb Haemost 2004;91(6):1213-1218.
Leach JK, O’Rear EA, Patterson E, Miao Y, Johnson AE. Accelerated thrombolysis in a rabbit model of carotid artery thrombosis with liposome-encapsulated and microencapsulated streptokinase. Thromb Haemost 2003;90(1):64-70.
MAJOR RESEARCH INTEREST
Cellular manipulation and tissue engineering, drug delivery, gene therapy, biomaterials, in vivo imaging
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