Professor Bing Wang, neonatologist, neurodevelopmental & molecular biologist, animal physiologist and nutritionist, received her Medical Doctor degree from Tianjin Medical University, China, and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry from the University of Sydney, Australia. Currently Prof Wang is an Honorary Associate in the School of Molecular & Biosciences at the University of Sydney, Adjunct Professor at Xiamen University, P.R. China and a registered nutritionist in Australia. Professor Wang has led the Nutritional Neurodevelopment Research programs in both academia and industry before being recruited to Charles Sturt University in December 2012.
Her areas of expertise includes molecular & cell biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, neuroimaging (MRI & MRS) and cognitive function assessment in both animal and humans. She is well accomplished in translating basic science discovery to human clinical trials for the development of functional food products. She has made major contributions to the field of Nutritional Neurobiology and Glycobiology, and thus has emerged as an internationally recognized leader on the nutritional significance of human milk sialylglycoconjugates and brain cognitive development.
Currently, she supervises 3 PhD and 6 Master degree students in collaboration with Xiamen University, P.R. China.
A key area of interest in Professor Wang's research program is centred in the area of molecular biochemistry & molecular biology with an emphasis on nutritional Glycobiology/Sialobiology and brain function. The overall goal of her research program is to elucidate the molecular and cellular basis of how nutrient components alter metabolic responses important in health and disease prevention from fetus to late life. Her particular interest is in neurodevelopment, cognitive function, eye and vision function, gut-brain axis for brain cognitive function using piglet as an animal model. Her research team also has experience in translating basic science discoveries to human and animal clinical trials for the development of functional foods.
Animal behaviour assessment: stress behaviour, learning ability, short-term, long-term and working memory; in vivo MRI and 1H-MRS for the assessment of brain structure and microstructure and metabolic changes; Microarray and PCR array for global gene expression profile and selected target gene pathways analyses; Protein and enzyme assays for assessing posttranslational modification analyses; Metabolomics using LC-MS/MS and HPLC for chemical processes involving metabolites during nutritional intervention.
The piglet was chosen as the preferred animal model because of its similarities in basic anatomic, physiological and nutrient requirements to human infants, particular neural development.
Chen Y, Zheng ZQ, Zhu X, Shi YJ, Tian DD, Liu N, Hüppi PS, Troy II1 FA, and Wang B. Lactoferrin Promotes Early Neurodevelopment and Cognition in Postnatal Piglets by Up-regulating the BDNF Signalling Pathway and Polysialylation. Molecular Neurobiology, 2014 DOI 10.1007/s12035-014-8856-9
Gan HA, Zhang QZ, Chen Y, Zhang H, Lin JZ, Kang TS, Zhang JX, Wang B. Development of New Population-averaged Standard Templates for Spatial Normalization and Segmentation of MR Images for Postnatal Piglet Brains. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 2014 in press.
Chen Y, Lili Pan, Liu N, Troy FA II, Wang B. LC-MS/MS Quantification of Neu5Ac, Neu5Gc and KDN Levels in Urine and Potential Relationship with Dietary Sialic Acid Intake and Disease in 3~5 Years Old Children. Brit J Nutr. 2013, in press.
Larvaron P, van de Looij Y, Somm E, Wang B, Gruetter R, Sizonenko SV and Hüppi PS. Milk lactoferrin has benefits on neurogenesis of rescuing prenatal dexamethasone exposure induced brain injure. Paediatric Res., 2013, in press
Zhu X, Liu Ni, Zheng ZQ, FA Troy, Wang B. Molecular Characterisation and Expression Analysis of ST8Sia II, III and IV in Piglets During Postnatal Development: Lack of Correlation Between Transcription and Posttranslational Levels. Under review by Glycobiology, 2013.
Wang B. Molecular Mechanism Underlying Sialic Acid as an Essential Nutrient for Brain Development and Cognition. Adv Nutr. 2012;3:4655-4725.
Chen HJ, Wang P, Han YF; Ma J; Troy II FA; Wang B. Evaluation of dietary intake of lactating women in China and its potential impact on the health of mothers and infants. BMC Women's Health 2012;12:18. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6874-12-18
Wang F, Wang B. The Deaminated Sugar Acid, KDN (2-keoto-3-deoxy-d-glycero-d-galacto-nonomic Acid in Human Cancers. Progress in Modern Biomedicine 2011;24:5152-5155.
Wang F, Wang B, Troy II FA. Identification and Quantification of the Sialic Acids (N-acetylneuraminic acid [Neu5Ac], N-glycolylneuraminic Acid [Neu5Gc] and the Deaminated Sugar Acid, KDN (2-keoto-3-deoxy-d-glycero-d-galacto-nonomic Acid in Human Cancers. Glycobiology 2011:21
Shan Y, Yu HL, Wang B, and Troy II, FA. Expression of TriSia & PolySia in Human Cancers: Potential Role as Diagnostic & Prognostic Biomarker for Cancer Screening. Glycobiology 2011:21.
Wang B. Sialic Acid is an essential nutrient for brain development and cognition. Annual Review of Nutrition, 2009;29:177-222.
Thompson CL, Wang B & Holmes AJ. The immediate environment during postnatal development has long-term impact on gut community structure in pigs. The ISME Journal, 2008;2:739-48.
Wang B, Hu H, Yu B, Troy II, FA. Molecular characterisation of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE) gene and dietary sialic acid supplementation: effect on gene expression of GNE in piglets. Curr Top Nutraceutical Res. 2008; 5:165-176.
Wang B, Yu B, Karim M, Hu H, Sun Y, Petocz P, Held S, McGreevy P, Brand-Miller J. Dietary sialic acid supplementation improves learning and memory in piglets. Am J Clin Nutr' 2007;85:561-9.
Wang B, Downing J, Petocz P, Brand-Miller J, Bryden W. Metabolic fate of intravenously administered N-acetylneuraminic acid-6-14C in newborn piglets. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr 2007;16 :110-115.
Wang B, Hu H, Yu B. Molecular Characterisation of pig Polysialyltransferase (ST8Sia IV)- a critical gene for the formation of neural cell adhesion molecule and its response to sialic acid supplement in Piglets. 'Nutr Neurosci 2006: 9:147-154.
Wang B. 'Infant Nutrition' Book review, Nutrition & Dietetics, 2006;63:129.
Karim M, Wang B. 'Is sialic acid in milk food for the brain?' Perspect Agric Vet Sci Nutr Nat Resour. 2006;1:018.
Wang B, Yu B, Karim M, Hu H, Sun Y, McGreevy P, Petocz P, Held S, Brand-Miller J. Sialic acid: a conditional nutrient that enhance learning and memory of newborn piglets. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr 2006;15(Suppl3):94.
Wang B, Bing Yu, Muhsin Karim, Honghua Hu, Yun Sun, Paul McGreevy, Peter Petocz, Suzanne Held, Jennie Brand-Miller. Sialic acid: a novel nutrient that enhances learning and memory. Trend Glycosci Glycotechnol. 2006;18(S):23.
Wang B, Karim M, Staples A, Quaggiotto P, Sun Y, Petocz P, Brand-Miller J. Effects of administration of sialic acid on learning ability and memory of piglets. Ann Nutr Metab 2005;49(s):114.
Wang B, Brand Miller J. The role and potential of sialic acid in human nutrition. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003;57:1351-69.
Wang B, Brand Miller J, McVeagh P, Petocz P. Brain ganglioside and glycoprotein sialic acid in infants fed human milk vs infant formula. Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 78:1024-9.
Sumiyoshi W, Urashima T, Nakamura T, Arai I, Saito T, Tsumura N, Wang B, Brand-Miller J, Watanabe Y, Kazumasa K. Determination of each neutral oligosaccharide in the milk of Japanese women during the course of lactation. Br J Nutr 2003; 89: 61-9.
Sumiyoshi W, Urashima T, Nakamura T, Arai I, Saito T, Tsumura N, Wang B, Brand-Miller J, Watanabe Y, Kazumasa K. Sialyl oligosaccharides in the milk of Japanese women: changes in concentration during the course of lactation" J Apply Glyosci 2003;50:461-467.
Wang B, Brand Miller J, Sun Y, Ahmad Z, McVeagh P. A longitudinal study of salivary sialic acid in preterm infants: comparison of breast-fed vs formula-fed. J Pediatr 2001;138:914-6.
Wang B, Brand Miller J, McVeagh P, Petocz P. The concentration and distribution of sialic acid in human milk and infant formulas. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:510-515.
Wang B, Brand Miller J, Makrides M, Gibson B. Is sialic acid a conditional nutrient in infancy: a precursor of brain ganglioside? Ann Nutr Metab 2001;45(suppl 1) 444.
Wang B, Brand Miller J, McNeil Y, McVeagh P. Sialic acid concentration of brain gangliosides: Variation among eight mammalian species. Comp Biochem Phys 119A, 1998;1:435-439.