Rate My Professor Huizhi Wang

Huizhi Wang, M.D., M.S., Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology at the Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. He completed his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Louisville in 2009. Previously, Wang held the position of Assistant Professor in Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry from 2005 to 2019.

Wang's research centers on host immune responses triggered by oral bacteria and their contributions to periodontal diseases and oral cancer progression. His laboratory examines molecular mechanisms that control the intensity and duration of inflammation induced by oral pathogens, with the objective of identifying novel therapeutic targets to mitigate dysregulated responses. A major focus is the pro-tumorigenic activities of Porphyromonas gingivalis, including its role in upregulating PD-L1 expression on dendritic cells to suppress CD8+ T-cell responses and exacerbate oral cancer, as well as its involvement in aggravating esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and promoting resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Wang has produced 48 peer-reviewed publications, appearing in prestigious journals such as Journal of Biological Chemistry, Cancer Immunology Research, Journal of Immunology, and British Journal of Cancer. Key publications include "P. gingivalis Infection Upregulates PD-L1 Expression on Dendritic Cells, Suppresses CD8+ T-cell Responses, and Aggravates Oral Cancer" (Cancer Immunol Res, 2023), "SGK1 negatively regulates inflammatory immune responses and protects against alveolar bone loss through modulation of TRAF3 activity" (J Biol Chem, 2022), "Serum- and Glucocorticoid-Inducible Kinase 1 Promotes Alternative Macrophage Polarization and Restrains Inflammation through FoxO1 and STAT3 Signaling" (J Immunol, 2021), "Porphyromonas gingivalis infection exacerbates oesophageal cancer and promotes resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy" (Br J Cancer, 2021), and the review "Roles of Porphyromonas gingivalis and its virulence factors in periodontitis" (Adv Protein Chem Struct Biol, 2020). His work elucidates critical signaling pathways like Wnt/β-catenin, JAK-STAT, and GSK3β in innate immunity and inflammation control. Wang actively mentors Ph.D. students, supporting their investigations into inflammatory processes in oral health.