James H-C Wang PhD

James H-C. Wang, PhD, is Professor and Albert B. Ferguson, Jr., MD Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He holds additional appointments in the Departments of Bioengineering and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a faculty member of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He serves as Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the MechanoBiology Laboratory, a core laboratory of the Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center.

Dr. Wang joined the University of Pittsburgh Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1998. He became Director of the MechanoBiology Laboratory in 2004, was promoted to Professor in 2012, and was appointed Vice Chair of Research in 2017. His longstanding work in tendon mechanobiology, tendon stem/progenitor-cell biology, inflammation, and tissue healing provides the scientific foundation for his current metformin-based therapeutic development program.

James H-C. Wang, PhD, is Professor and Albert B. Ferguson, Jr., MD Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He holds additional appointments in the Departments of Bioengineering and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a faculty member of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He serves as Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the MechanoBiology Laboratory, a core laboratory of the Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center.

Dr. Wang joined the University of Pittsburgh Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1998. He became Director of the MechanoBiology Laboratory in 2004, was promoted to Professor in 2012, and was appointed Vice Chair of Research in 2017. His longstanding work in tendon mechanobiology, tendon stem/progenitor-cell biology, inflammation, and tissue healing provides the scientific foundation for his current metformin-based therapeutic development program.

Research Program

Dr. Wang leads a multidisciplinary translational R&D program developing locally delivered metformin-based therapies for musculoskeletal injuries. Its lead program is a topical metformin lotion designed to deliver metformin through the skin to superficial tendons, prevent or treat tendinopathy, reduce inflammation and fibrosis, and promote tissue repair while limiting systemic exposure. The program has established an integrated preclinical evidence base spanning formulation optimization and stability, human and porcine skin permeation, tissue-targeting pharmacokinetics, efficacy in experimental tendinopathy, mechanistic validation, and safety evaluation.

His team is also developing injectable metformin conjugates, including a hyaluronic acid-metformin gel engineered for sustained local delivery. Preclinical studies have demonstrated prolonged intra-articular retention and protection against post-traumatic osteoarthritis. By integrating tendon mechanobiology, pharmaceutics, biomaterials, pharmacokinetics, preclinical safety, and clinical collaboration, the program advances metformin-based therapeutic concepts from biological discovery toward clinical translation.