Professional Titles
- Assistant Research Professor
Recognitions
- AAI Young Investigator Award, American Association of Immunologists (2019)
Research Interests
My research integrates reconstructive microsurgery, transplantation, and neural regeneration to develop strategies for vision restoration. I use preclinical models of whole-eye transplantation and optic nerve injury to investigate transplant immunology, retinal ganglion cell survival, axonal regeneration, and re-establishment of neural connections between the eye and brain. My long-term goal is to combine advances in surgical reconstruction, immune modulation, and neuroregeneration to enable functional vision restoration.Publications
- Li, B., Wang, Y., Zhu, M., Luo, Y., Esch, E., Lopez, A. A., ... & Washington, K. (2026). A Novel Rodent Model of Complete Optic Nerve Transection and Reattachment with Evaluation of Retinal Blood Supply Preservation. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 67(7), 1476-1476.
- Li B, Wang Y, Owens C, Banaee T, Chu C, Jabbari K, Lee A, Khatter N, Palestine A, Su A, Huang C, Washington K. Immune responses in rodent whole eye transplantation: elucidation and preliminary investigations into rejection diagnosis and monitoring. Frontiers in Immunology. 2025; 16:-. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1475055/full DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1475055
- Xiao B, Feturi F, Su A, Van der Merwe Y, Barnett J, Jabbari K, Khatter N, Li B, Katzel E, Venkataramanan R, Solari M, Wagner W, Steketee M, Simons D, Washington K. Nerve Wrap for Local Delivery of FK506/Tacrolimus Accelerates Nerve Regeneration. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024 January 10; 25(2):847-. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/2/847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020847
- Blades C, Greyson M, Dumanian Z, Yu J, Wang Y, Li B, Wang Z, Washington K, Huang C, Navarro-Alvarez N, Mathes D. Development of a Porcine VCA Model Using an External Iliac Vessel-Based Vertical Rectus Abdominus Myocutaneous Flap. Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery. 2024 August 06; 41(04):339-346. Available from: http://www.thiemeconnect. de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0044-1788812 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1788812
- Ng P, Yoeli D, Huang J, Luo Y, Wang Y, Li B, Wang Z, Schold J, Jain S, Su A, Mathes D, Washington K, Farkash E, Jani A, Huang C. Successful Extension of Vascularized Composite Allograft Perfusion Cold Storage to 24 h in a Rat Hindlimb Transplant Model. Transplantation Direct. 2024 May 15; 10(6):e1623-. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/10.1097/TXD.0000000000001623 DOI: 10.1097/TXD.0000000000001623
- Wang Z, Ramakrishna R, Wang Y, Qiu Y, Ma J, Mintzlaff D, Zhang H, Li B, Hammell B, Lucia M, Pomfret E, Su A, Washington K, Mathes D, Wang Z. Toxicology, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity studies of CCR4-IL2 bispecific immunotoxin in rats and minipigs. European Journal of Pharmacology. 2024 April; 968:176408-. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0014299924000967 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176408