Yuguo (Leo) Lei
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Faculty Oversight, Sartorius Cell Culture Facility
Huck Co-hire with College of Engineering
- 515 Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building
- yxl6034@psu.edu
Research Summary
Cell therapy; Cell manufacturing; Biomaterials
Huck Affiliations
Links
Most Recent Publications
J147 treatment protects against traumatic brain injury by inhibiting neuronal endoplasmic reticulum stress potentially via the AMPK/SREBP-1 pathway
Rong Jin, Min Wang, Manish Shukla, Yuguo Lei, Dong An, Jiwen Du, Guohong Li, 2024, Translational Research on p. 21-34
Identification of RNA-based cell-type markers for stem-cell manufacturing systems with a statistical scoring function
Yu Shi, Weilong Yang, Haishuang Lin, Li Han, Alyssa J. Cai, Ravi Saraf, Yuguo Lei, Chi Zhang, 2024, Gene Reports
Synergistic enhancement of the mouse Pramex1 and Pramel1 in repressing retinoic acid (RA) signaling during gametogenesis
M Yang, Francisco Diaz, Krause ART, Ana Rita T. Krause, Yuguo Lei, Wan Sheng Liu, 2024, Cell and Bioscience on p. 28
Mesenchymal stromal cells and alpha-1 antitrypsin have a strong synergy in modulating inflammation and its resolution
L Han, X Wu, O Wang, X Luan, W Velander, M Aynardi, E. Scott Halstead, A Bonavia, R Jin, G Li, Y Li, Y Wang, C Dong, Y Lei, 2023, Theranostics on p. 2843-2862
Comparative study of differentiating human pluripotent stem cells into vascular smooth muscle cells in hydrogel-based culture methods
Qing Liu, Zhen Liu, Hongyu Gu, Yuxia Ge, Xuesheng Wu, Fuxing Zuo, Qian Du, Yuguo Lei, Zhanqi Wang, Haishuang Lin, 2023, Regenerative Therapy on p. 39-49
Nanoparticle-Decorated Biomimetic Extracellular Matrix for Cell Nanoencapsulation and Regulation
Kyungsene Lee, Brandon Davis, Xuelin Wang, Shubham Mirg, Connie Wen, Lidya Abune, Benjamin E. Peterson, Li Han, Haoyang Chen, Hongjun Wang, Spencer E. Szczesny, Yuguo Lei, Sri Rajasekhar Kothapalli, Yong Wang, 2023, Angewandte Chemie - International Edition on p. e202306583
Fabricating 3-dimensional human brown adipose microtissues for transplantation studies
O Wang, L Han, H Lin, M Tian, S Zhang, B Duan, S Chung, C Zhang, Xiaojun Lian, Y Wang, Yuguo Lei, 2022, Bioactive Materials on p. 518-534
Isolating and cryopreserving pig skin cells for single-cell RNA sequencing study
Li Han, Carlos P. Jara, Ou Wang, Yu Shi, Xinran Wu, Sandra Thibivilliers, Rafał K. Wóycicki, Mark A. Carlson, William H. Velander, Eliana P. Araújo, Yuguo Lei, Marc Libault, Chi Zhang, 2022, PLoS One
Controllable fabrication of alginate/poly-L-ornithine polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel networks as therapeutic drug and cell carriers
Wen Xue, Bo Liu, Haipeng Zhang, Sangjin Ryu, Mitchell Kuss, Devanshi Shukla, Guoku Hu, Wen Shi, Xiping Jiang, Yuguo Lei, Bin Duan, 2022, Acta Biomaterialia on p. 182-192
Improving three-dimensional human pluripotent cell culture efficiency via surface molecule coating
Qiang Li, Ying Pan, Li Han, Yakun Yang, Xinran Wu, Yuguo Lei, 2022, Frontiers in Chemical Engineering
Most-Cited Papers
Thermoreversible Hyaluronic Acid-PNIPAAm Hydrogel Systems for 3D Stem Cell Culture
Barbara L. Ekerdt, Christina M. Fuentes, Yuguo Lei, Maroof M. Adil, Anusuya Ramasubramanian, Rachel A. Segalman, David V. Schaffer, 2018, Advanced healthcare materials
Establishment of a Human iPSC- and Nanofiber-Based Microphysiological Blood-Brain Barrier System
Dianjun Qi, Shaohua Wu, Haishuang Lin, Mitchell A. Kuss, Yuguo Lei, Alexey Krasnoslobodtsev, Shaheen Ahmed, Chi Zhang, Hyung Joon Kim, Peng Jiang, Bin Duan, 2018, ACS applied materials & interfaces on p. 21825-21835
Exosomes derived from differentiated human ADMSC with the Schwann cell phenotype modulate peripheral nerve-related cellular functions
Bo Liu, Yunfan Kong, Wen Shi, Mitchell Kuss, Ke Liao, Guoku Hu, Peng Xiao, Jagadesan Sankarasubramanian, Chittibabu Guda, Xinglong Wang, Yuguo Lei, Bin Duan, 2021, Bioactive Materials on p. 61-75
Novel fibrin-fibronectin matrix accelerates mice skin wound healing
Carlos Poblete Jara, Ou Wang, Thais Paulino do Prado, Ayman Ismail, Frank Marco Fabian, Han Li, Licio A. Velloso, Mark A. Carlson, William Burgess, Yuguo Lei, William H. Velander, Eliana P. Araújo, 2020, Bioactive Materials on p. 949-962
Effects of tunable, 3D-bioprinted hydrogels on human brown adipocyte behavior and metabolic function
Mitchell Kuss, Jiyoung Kim, Dianjun Qi, Shaohua Wu, Yuguo Lei, Soonkyu Chung, Bin Duan, 2018, Acta Biomaterialia on p. 486-495
Controllable fabrication of alginate/poly-L-ornithine polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel networks as therapeutic drug and cell carriers
Wen Xue, Bo Liu, Haipeng Zhang, Sangjin Ryu, Mitchell Kuss, Devanshi Shukla, Guoku Hu, Wen Shi, Xiping Jiang, Yuguo Lei, Bin Duan, 2022, Acta Biomaterialia on p. 182-192
Scalable Culturing of Primary Human Glioblastoma Tumor-Initiating Cells with a Cell-Friendly Culture System
Qiang Li, Haishuang Lin, Jack Rauch, Loic P. Deleyrolle, Brent A. Reynolds, Hendrik J. Viljoen, Chi Zhang, Linxia Gu, Erika Van Wyk, Yuguo Lei, 2018, Scientific Reports
Hydrogel-Based Bioprocess for Scalable Manufacturing of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Stem Cells
Haishuang Lin, Qian Du, Qiang Li, Ou Wang, Zhanqi Wang, Kan Liu, Christian Elowsky, Chi Zhang, Yuguo Lei, 2018, ACS applied materials & interfaces on p. 29238--29250
Scalable and physiologically relevant microenvironments for human pluripotent stem cell expansion and differentiation
Qiang Li, Haishuang Lin, Qian Du, Kan Liu, Ou Wang, Catelyn Evans, Hannah Christian, Chi Zhang, Yuguo Lei, 2018, Biofabrication
Scalable Production of Glioblastoma Tumor-initiating Cells in 3 Dimension Thermoreversible Hydrogels
Qiang Li, Haishuang Lin, Ou Wang, Xuefeng Qiu, Srivatsan Kidambi, Loic P. Deleyrolle, Brent A. Reynolds, Yuguo Lei, 2016, Scientific Reports
News Articles Featuring Yuguo (Leo) Lei
Jun 22, 2026
GAP funding awarded to 12 Penn State research commercialization projects
Twelve research projects have been selected for the 2026 Penn State Commercialization GAP Fund. Awarded projects receive $75,000 in funding and other support to develop promising proof-of-concept research into commercial ready technology. As the name suggests, GAP funding is targeted towards research projects that — despite exciting potential — are sometimes stuck in the funding gap between government grants and commercial investment. Attracting commercial attention often requires extensive development and testing to show that a product is safe, effective at scale and properly positioned within the marketplace.
Full Article
Sep 15, 2025
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences names 2025-26 seed grant recipients
The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State has selected eight research teams that span 12 departments across six colleges to receive 2025-26 seed grant funding.
Full Article
Jan 27, 2021
Therapeutic cell researcher joins biomedical engineering and Huck Institutes
Yuguo “Leo” Lei joined the Penn State Department of Biomedical Engineering as an associate professor and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences as the inaugural faculty director of the Sartorius Cell Culture Facility in a joint appointment on Jan. 1.
Full Article
Jan 21, 2021
Sartorius Stedim Biotech’s $1.5M gift creates cell culture facility
Sartorius Stedim Biotech, a leading international partner of the biopharmaceutical industry, has committed $1.5 million to Penn State to create the Sartorius Cell Culture Facility, which will expand Penn State’s biotechnology ecosystem.
Full Article