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College of Pharmacy

College of Pharmacy

Faculty Profile

Jiukuan HaoJiukuan Hao

Professor of Pharmaceutics
Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Office: 
University of Houston College of Pharmacy
Health 2, Room 7003
4349 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Houston, TX 77204-5039

Contact: jhao5@uh.edu - 713-743-9411

Research:

My research focuses on understanding mechanisms of neural injury and developing new therapeutic approach for neuronal-degenerative diseases such as ischemic stroke, Parkinson disease, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia; investigating the role of microglia in neuroinflammation, and the roles of endothelial hippo signaling pathway and TDP43 in neuronal-degenerative diseases; and developing novel delivery system targeting the blood-brain barrier for macromolecule brain delivery.

  • PhD. in Pharmaceutical Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship in Neuroscience, Universidad Central Del Caribe, Puerto Rico
  • M.S. in Neurology, China Medical University, China
  • M.D. in Medicine, China Medical University, China

NCBI Profile
  • Xu X, Du L, Jiang J, Yang M, Wang Z, Wang Y, Tang T, Fu X, Hao J. Microglial TREM2 Mitigates Inflammatory Responses and Neuronal Apoptosis in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension in Middle-Aged Mice. Front Aging Neurosci. 2021;13:716917. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.716917. eCollection 2021. PubMed PMID: 34489683; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8417947.
  • Li L, Yu Y, Hou R, Hao J, Jiang J. Inhibiting the PGE(2) Receptor EP2 Mitigates Excitotoxicity and Ischemic Injury. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci. 2020 Aug 14;3(4):635-643. doi: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00040. eCollection 2020 Aug 14. PubMed PMID: 32832866; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7432651.
  • Sakabe M, Fan J, Odaka Y, Liu N, Hassan A, Duan X, Stump P, Byerly L, Donaldson M, Hao J, Fruttiger M, Lu QR, Zheng Y, Lang RA, Xin M. YAP/TAZ-CDC42 signaling regulates vascular tip cell migration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Oct 10;114(41):10918-10923. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1704030114. Epub 2017 Sep 25. PubMed PMID: 28973878; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5642684.
  • Kang X, Qiu J, Li Q, Bell KA, Du Y, Jung DW, Lee JY, Hao J, Jiang J. Cyclooxygenase-2 contributes to oxidopamine-mediated neuronal inflammation and injury via the prostaglandin E2 receptor EP2 subtype. Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 25;7(1):9459. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-09528-z. PubMed PMID: 28842681; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5573328.
  • Hu J, Ferchmin PA, Hemmerle AM, Seroogy KB, Eterovic VA, Hao J. 4R-Cembranoid Improves Outcomes after 6-Hydroxydopamine Challenge in Both In vitro and In vivo Models of Parkinson's Disease. Front Neurosci. 2017;11:272. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00272. eCollection 2017. PubMed PMID: 28611572; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5447022.
  • Hu J, Al-Waili D, Hassan A, Fan GC, Xin M, Hao J. Inhibition of cerebral vascular inflammation by brain endothelium-targeted oligodeoxynucleotide complex. Neuroscience. 2016 Aug 4;329:30-42. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.04.033. Epub 2016 Apr 27. PubMed PMID: 27132231; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4905813.
  • Essandoh K, Yang L, Wang X, Huang W, Qin D, Hao J, Wang Y, Zingarelli B, Peng T, Fan GC. Blockade of exosome generation with GW4869 dampens the sepsis-induced inflammation and cardiac dysfunction. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2015 Nov;1852(11):2362-71. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2015.08.010. Epub 2015 Aug 20. PubMed PMID: 26300484; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4581992.
  • Martins AH, Hu J, Xu Z, Mu C, Alvarez P, Ford BD, El Sayed K, Eterovic VA, Ferchmin PA, Hao J. Neuroprotective activity of (1S,2E,4R,6R,-7E,11E)-2,7,11-cembratriene-4,6-diol (4R) in vitro and in vivo in rodent models of brain ischemia. Neuroscience. 2015 Apr 16;291:250-259. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.02.001. Epub 2015 Feb 10. PubMed PMID: 25677097; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4369428.
  • Hu J, Xiao F, Hao X, Bai S, Hao J. Inhibition of monocyte adhesion to brain-derived endothelial cells by dual functional RNA chimeras. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2014 Nov 4;3(11):e209. doi: 10.1038/mtna.2014.60. PubMed PMID: 25368913; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4459546.
  • Mu C, Dave N, Hu J, Desai P, Pauletti G, Bai S, Hao J. Solubilization of flurbiprofen into aptamer-modified PEG-PLA micelles for targeted delivery to brain-derived endothelial cells in vitro. J Microencapsul. 2013;30(7):701-8. doi: 10.3109/02652048.2013.778907. Epub 2013 Mar 21. PubMed PMID: 23517066.
  • Hu J, Mu C, Hao J. Cerebral ischemia reduces expression of Hs1-associated protein X-1 (Hax-1) in mouse brain. Neurosci Lett. 2013 Feb 8;534:338-43. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2012.12.009. Epub 2012 Dec 20. PubMed PMID: 23262083.
  • Hao J, Bickel U. Transferrin receptor mediated brain uptake during ischemia and reperfusion. J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2013;16(4):541-50. doi: 10.18433/j3b303. PubMed PMID: 24210062.
  • Yang T, Nyiawung D, Silber A, Hao J, Lai L, Bai S. Comparative studies on chitosan and polylactic-co-glycolic acid incorporated nanoparticles of low molecular weight heparin. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2012 Dec;13(4):1309-18. doi: 10.1208/s12249-012-9854-8. Epub 2012 Sep 28. PubMed PMID: 23054983; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3513441.
  • Hao J, Mdzinarishvili A, Abbruscato TJ, Klein J, Geldenhuys WJ, Van der Schyf CJ, Bickel U. Neuroprotection in mice by NGP1-01 after transient focal brain ischemia. Brain Res. 2008 Feb 27;1196:113-20. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.11.075. Epub 2008 Jan 29. PubMed PMID: 18234166.
  • Ferchmin PA, Hao J, Perez D, Penzo M, Maldonado HM, Gonzalez MT, Rodriguez AD, de Vellis J. Tobacco cembranoids protect the function of acute hippocampal slices against NMDA by a mechanism mediated by alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptors. J Neurosci Res. 2005 Dec 1;82(5):631-41. doi: 10.1002/jnr.20666. PubMed PMID: 16247800.

Ongoing Research

  • R01NS105787 (Hao), 10/01/2018-09/30/2023, NIH/NINDS, Targeting the Hippo signaling at the Blood-brain barrier for therapy of ischemic stroke, Goal: To elucidate the role of YAP/TAZ in regulating the BBB function, and evaluate protective effect of YAP/TAZ on brain ECs and the BBB against ischemia/reperfusion injury, and to develop a novel approach, YAP/TAZ-exosome, for treatment of ischemic stroke. Role: PI

Completed Research Support

  • R15NS088384 (Hao), 04/01/2015-03/31/2018, NIH/NINDS, Targeting the Blood-Brain Barrier in Ischemic Stroke Goal: To effectively deliver DNA construct into the brain with a goal to protect neuron from injury/death under cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (IR) condition. Role: PI
  • R21NS093493 (Hao), 06/01/2015-05/31/201, NIH/NINDS, Application of Brain-Targeted Anti-inflammatory RNA Nanoparticle for Ischemic Stroke Therapy Goal: to develop a RNA nanoparticle to target the blood-brain barrier for ischemic stroke therapy in mouse. Role: PI
  • The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research: THE MULTIFUNCTIONAL CEMBRANOIDS FOR THERAPY OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE. (P.I.: Hao J) Role: Principal investigator 3/1/2012- 2/28/2013 The goal of this project is to evaluate therapeutic effect of β-cembrane, a compound from tobacco, and its underlying mechanisms in the treatment of PD.
  • Maine Cancer Foundation Pilot Research Grant (P.I.: Hao J): Inhibition of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 in Lung Cancer Cells by Selective SiRNA Nanoparticles. Role: Co-investigator. 7/1/2013-06/30/2014 The goal of this project is to develop a dual functional RNA nanoparticle targeting Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 for Lung Cancer therapy.
  • American Heart Association: THERAPY OF STROKE WITH NOVEL NEUROPROTECTIVE RNA NANOPARTICLES Role: Principal investigator 1/1/2012-12/31/2013. The goal of this project is to develop a dual functional RNA nanoparticle targeting Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 for ischemic stroke therapy.
  • University Research Council Faculty Research Grant Program at University of Cincinnati: The Role of Hax-1 in Ischemic Stroke. Role: Principal investigator 1/1/2012-12/31/2012
  • The Center for Clinical/ Translational Science and Training at University of Cincinnati: the Just-In-Time grant: Targeting delivery of anti-NF-kB DNA nanoparticle to primary brain endothelial cells. Role: Principal investigator 7/1/2014- 6/30/2015

Honors

  • 2007 - American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists scholarship
  • 2012 - Research Excellence Award, University of Cincinnati, College of Pharmacy
  • 2015 - Research Excellence Award, University of Cincinnati, College of Pharmacy