Lianchun Wang, MD

Dr. Lianchun Wang is a physician-scientist whose research investigates the biological functions and structural properties of heparan sulfate (HS) in vascular biology, stem cell biology, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and brain injury. Trained in glycobiology and cell biology at the University of California San Diego, he has served as an independent investigator since 2006 and is now a tenured Full Professor and Endowed Chair of Neurovascular Research at USF.

Dr. Wang’s research program has produced high-impact publications across journals such as JCI, Blood, JBC, Nature Methods, PNAS, and Science Advances. Since joining USF in 2018, he has established a major AD-focused research initiative supported by multiple NIA awards, including two RF1 grants and an R56. His team has revealed critical roles for HS in cerebral Aβ clearance, suggesting that reduced HS expression may contribute to Aβ accumulation in AD.

Dr. Wang is also an accomplished mentor with a long-standing commitment to training scientists at all levels. He has guided more than 30 undergraduates, multiple master’s students, nine Ph.D. trainees, and ten postdoctoral fellows—many of whom have advanced to faculty positions, medical or graduate programs, or careers in leading biotech companies. He actively contributes to graduate education through advisory committees and lectures on neurodegeneration and neurovascular disease.