Jonathan CJ Wei specialises in Characterisation and translation of soft tissues from animal models to humans; development of micro-devices for vaccine/drug delivery and diagnostics.
Jonathon Wei's research focuses on three main themes: Characterisation of soft biological tissues, Translation of animal models to humans, Development of micro-scale medical devices. Emerging micro-scale medical devices are showing promise, whether in delivering drugs or extracting diagnostic biomarkers from skin. In progressing these devices through animal models towards clinical products, understanding the mechanical properties and structure of skin tissue with wich they interact will be important. My PhD project investigates, develops relationships and predictions of these properties through measurement (microscopy, indentation and puncture) and modelling (analytical and computational). My goal is to advance knowledfe of mammalian skin mechanical properties, providing a route towards streamlined micro-device research and development onto clinical use. Key areas and methods include: Nanopatch, microneedles and micro-devices, Mechanical testing, indentation, puncture, Modelling, analytical, computational, Histology, microscopy (SEM, MPM)
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) – Mechanical and Aerospace (2009-2012) The University of Queensland
Awards include: Three Minute Thesis (2015) – AIBN People's Choice Award.
Memberships include: International Society of Biomechanics, European Society of Biomechanics, Controlled Release Society.
Industry Engagement and Collaborations
- Vaxxas - Medical Device Engineer (2012-2013)
- Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden
- Prof Chris Anderson
- TiVi investigation of inflammation to determine wound closure characteristics induced by microprojection arrays (from 2016)
- Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Prof Mike Roberts
- Space- and time-resolved investigation of diffusion properties and metabolic changes of human skin following macromolecule delivery by microprojection arrays (from 2013)
Key Publications
Jonathan CJ Wei, Grant A Edwards, Darren J Martin, Han Huang, Michael L Crichton, Mark AF Kendall., Are differences between animal models and humans skin-deep? Characterising the skin's mechanical properties for the translation of micro-medical devices, Acta Biomaterialia. (2017) (under review).
Michael L Crichton, David A Muller, Alexandra CI Depelsenaire, Frances E Pearson, Jonathan CJ Wei, Jacob Coffey, Jin Zhang, Germain JP Fernando & Mark AF Kendall, The changing shape of vaccination: improving immune responses through geometrical variations of a microdevice for immunisation, Sci. Rep. 6 (2016) 27217. doi:10.1038/srep27217.
David A Muller, Frances E Pearson, Germain JP Fernando, Christiana Agyei-Yeboah, Nick S Owens, Simon R Corrie, Michael L Crichton, Jonathan CJ Wei, William C Weldon, M Steven Oberste, Paul R Young & Mark AF Kendall, Inactivated poliovirus type 2 vaccine delivered to rat skin via high density microprojection array elicits potent neutralising antibody responses, Sci. Rep. 6 (2016) 22094. doi:10.1038/srep22094.
Full list of publications available on espace
Funding
PhD is supported by the UQ Research Scholarship and the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. Recipient of the AIBN travel grant.