Curriculum Vitae

Personal Description

In 2003, Dr. Bill Velander became chairperson of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  During his tenure, Velander has emphasized the role of bioengineering by changing the Department name to Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and adding a new field specialization in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering to the College of Engineering Unified Ph.D. Program.  Under Velander’s leadership, six of nine biomolecular faculty members currently hold research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The Department is currently ranked 14 among 158 departments of chemical engineering in research expenditures according to the NSF.

Velander is the principal investigator of a $10 million, five-year NIH grant awarded to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in September, 2005 for research on recombinant hemophilia factors. He was also the principal investigator of a $5 million grant from the US Army for the production of a fibrinogen hemostatic bandage.

Velander is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Medical & Biological Engineering. He was instrumental in the formulation of federal regulatory guidelines for human therapeutics derived from transgenic animals through his consultancy with the USFDA. He is a co-inventor of several US patents concerning the production of recombinant proteins of hemostasis. 

Education

• 1987 Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania
• 1980 M.ChE. Chemical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
• 1977 B.S. Biochemistry, Illinois Benedictine College, Lisle, Illinois

Research Interests

Velander has been working on safer, more abundant sources of biotherapeutics since 1987 when contamination of blood plasma-derived medicines by HIV and Hepatitis B and C became a world-wide epidemic.

To help reduce that risk, Velander worked jointly with the American Red Cross Holland Laboratory to pioneer genetically engineered versions of human anticoagulant Protein C, human anti-hemophiliac factors VIII and IX, and fibrinogen from the milk of transgenic livestock.

Velander’s group also helped in pioneering efforts to humanize pig tissue to provide stop-gap alternatives for organ transplants. Velander’s work on transgenic animals is described not only in such respected scientific publications as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and Nature Biotechnology but also in popular media, notably, the cover story of National Geographic, (October, 1999), Discover (May, 1998), Smithsonian (July, 1998) and Scientific American (January, 1997). 

His work with hemophilia factors was featured on “21st Century Medicine: Genetic Promises” on the Discovery Health Channel (November, 2001) and also in the exhibit “Engineering Genes” at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois.

In addition, his work has been the subject of interviews in CNN's Future Watch, RAI’s (Italian national broadcasting) Quark, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The London Daily Telegraph.

Current Funding

• National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (R01 HL078944-03) "cGMP Recombinant FIX for IV and Oral Hemophilia B Therapy," $9,587,071. Role: Principal Investigator. The major goal of this project is to develop an abundant, pure, safe and effective therapy for all hemophilia B patients, including those in developing areas of the world, using recombinant human coagulation proteins produced in the milk of transgenic pigs.(9/6/05-8/31/12)
• USARMY (GRANT10824516) “Technologies for Hemostasis and Stabilization of the Acute Traumatic Wound,” $1,783,613.  Role: Co-Principal Investigator.  The objective is to develop technologies to treat subjects with truncal hemorrhage and coagulopathic subjects with dressings made of resorbable synthetic polymers and human fibrin sealant. (9/26/11-4/30/14)

Recent Publications

• Pipe, S.W., H. Miao, S.P. Butler, J. Calcaterra, and W.H. Velander.  “Functional factor VIII made with von Willebrand factor at high levels in transgenic milk.”  Journal of Thrombosis, 2011, 9(11):  2235-2242. (Please see corrected supplemental illustration, Figure 1.)
• MS Bajaj, I Ogueli, E Schmidt, S Shanker, W Velander, J Calcaterra, SP Bajaj, (2010) “Engineering Kunitz 1 domain (KD1) of human tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 to selectively inhibit fibrinolysis: Properties of KD1-L17R variant,” Thrombosis and Haemostasis Special Issue: Abstracts of the 20th ISFP Congress, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 24-28 August 2010, 8, 1:1-68.
• J Calcaterra, KE Vancott, EJ Forsberg, M Inan, M Germano, HV van Veen, K Nelson, WH Velander (2010)  “Biologically active human fibrinogen produced in the milk of transgenic cows,” Thrombosis and Haemostasis Special Issue: Abstracts of the 20th ISFP Congress, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 24-28 August 2010, 8, 1:1-68.
• A Sutton, M Fatemi, KE Vancott, SP Bajaj, WH Velander (2010) “Proteolysis of Human Factor IX and FIXa:  Gla-dependant Conformational Specificity in its inactivation by Plasmin,” Thrombosis and Haemostasis Special Issue: Abstracts of the 20th ISFP Congress, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 24-28 August 2010, 8, 1:1-68.
• G. C. Gil, B. Illiff, R. Cerny, W.H. Velander, K.E. Van Cott, (2010) “High throughput quantification of N-glycans using one-pot sialic acid modification and matrix assisted laster desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.” Analytical Chemistry, 82(15):6613-20.
• A.S. Messer, Velander, W.H., Bajaj S.P., (2009) “Contribution of magnesium in binding of factor IXa to the phospholipid surface: implications for vitamin K-dependent coagulation proteins,” Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 7(12):2151-3.
• G.C. Gil. Velander, W.H., Van Cott K.E. (2009) “N-glycosylation microheterogeneity and site occupancy of an Asn-X-Cys sequon in plasma-derived and recombinant protein C,” Proteomics, 9(9):2555-67.
• S. Agah, A. Sutton, W.H. Velander, S. Paul Bajaj. (2008) "Role of Mg2+ in Extrinsic and Intrinsic Coagulation Under Physiologic Conditions" Blood, 112(11): 705-706.
• S. Paul Bajaj, A. Sutton, S. Shanker, A.E. Schmidt, S. Agah, W.H. Velander, K. Padmanabhan. (2008) "Structural and Functional Investigations of Active Site Binding Regions in Factor VIIa" Blood, 112(11): 707.
• G.C. Gil, W.H. Velander, K.E. Van Cott. (2008) "Analysis of the N-glycans of Recombinant Human Factor IX Purified from Transgenic Pig Milk" Glycobiology, 10.1093/glycob/cwn035.
• L.P. Brewster, C. Washington, E.M. Brey, A. Gassman, A. Subramanian, J. Calcaterra, W. Wolf, C.L. Hall, W.H. Velander, W.H. Burgess, H.P. Greisler. (2008) "Construction and Characterization of a Thrombin Resistant Designer FGF-base-Collagen Binding Domain Angiogen" Biomaterials, 29(3): 327-336.
• H.Z. Miao, S.T. Butler, W.H. Velander, S.W. Pipe (2006) "Development of Milk-targeted Transgenic Animals Expressing Coagulation Factor VIII Bioengineering for High Efficiency Secretion" Pediatric Research, 60 (4): 495.

Invited talks

• "Bioengineering Hemostasis Using Recombinant Human Fibrinogen Sealants in Swine Surgical Models," July 19, 2011, Swine in Biomedical Research Conference 2011, National Swine Resource and Research Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• "Hemostasis and Tissue Engineering," April 29, 2011, NIH Protein Biotechnology Program Annual Symposium, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.
• "Cloned trigenic cows produce kg quantities of human fibrinogen that is functional in vivo,” March 23, 2011, US Army Institute of Surgical Research, San Antonio, Texas.
• "Engineering Hemostatic Bandages That Use Liquid Fibrin Sealants and Nanofibrous Pliable Resorbable Mesh,” December 2, 2010, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.
• "Transgenic Livestock Production of FIX and FVIII,” December 15, 2010, Vital Brazil Institue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• “Proteolysis of Human Factor IX and FIXa:  Gla-dependant Conformational Specificity in its inactivation by Plasmin,” August 28, 2010, ISFP Amsterdam 2010, the 20th International Congress on Fibrinolysis and Proteolysis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• “Biologically active human fibrinogen produced in the milk of transgenic cows,” August 27, 2010, ISFP Amsterdam 2010, the 20th International Congress on Fibrinolysis and Proteolysis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• "Transgenic Fibrinogen,” May 12, 2010, University of Washington Pugent Sound Blood Center, Seattle, Washington.
• "Stopping Fatal Hemorrhage in the Battlefield: Design of a Nano- and Biotechnological Fibrin Sealant Bandage,” February 13, 2009, University of Missouri, Columbia.
• "Transgenic and Other Recombinant Methods for Making the Biologics of a Fibrin Sealant Device" April 9, 2008, National University of San Juan, San Juan, Argentina.
• "Transgenic and Other Recombinant Methods for Making the Biologics of a Fibrin Sealant Device" April 8, 2008, Foundacion Pablo Casara, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• "Cloning and Stem Cells and How that Might Affect your Life" Awards Dinner Keynote Presentation, AIChE Mid America Regional Conference, March 29, 2008, Lincoln, Nebraska.
• "Transgenic Production of Fibrinogen for the Treatment of Catastrophic Wounds" Chemical Engineering Seminar, March 17, 2008, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.
• "Transgenic and Other Recombinant Methods for Making the Biologics of a Fibrin Sealant Device" February 15, 2008, Delaware Biotechnology Institute, Newark, Delaware.
• "Animals as Biofactories" 8th Meeting of the Countries Vaccine Manufacturers’ Network (DCVMN), International Seminar on Vaccines: Healthier People, A Healthier World, Hosted by Bio-Manguinhos and Instituto Butantan, November 11-14, 2007, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• "Post-Translationally Complex Therapeutic Proteins: Expression in Milk" UC Davis Transgenic Animal Research Conference VI, August 12-16, 2007, UC Davis Conference Center, Tahoe City, California.>
• "Development of Milk-targeted Transgenic Animals Expressing Coagulation Factor VIII Bioengineering for High Efficiency Secretion" 47th Annual Midwest Society for Pediatric Research: Scientific Meeting, October 18-20, 2006, Indianapolis, Indiana.
• "Hemophilic Factors Produced by Transgenic Livestock: Abundance That Can Enable Alternative Therapies Worldwide" Region VII Hemophilia Center Annual Meeting, May 4-06, 2006, Iowa City, Iowa.
• "Transgenic Livestock: Abundance That Can Enable Alternative Therapies Worldwide" April 20-21, 2006, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.
• "Transgenic Hemophilia Factors in Genetic Advances," a panel discussion for the Hemophilia Federation of America, March 30-April 1, 2006, St. Louis, Missouri.
• "Transgenic Technology for Factor IX", March 17, 2006 B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development Center, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, India
• "Transgenic Technology for Factor-IX," Program to Produce Transgenic Factor-IX in India, March 12-20, 2006, B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development (PERD) Center, Thaltej, Ahmedabad, India.
• "Complex Post-translational Modifications of Biotherapeutics by Mammary Epithelia: Matching the Best Production Characteristics to a Given Transgenic Livestock", November 22, 2005 Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park, Måløv, Denmark
• "Transgenic Hemophilic Factors" The Coalition for Hemophilia, Nebraska Chapter Conference, November 11, 2005, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, Ashland, Nebraska.
• "Potential for Plant-Made and Animal-Made Biological Treatments. Transgenic Livestock: Abundance that can Enable Alternative Therapies Worldwide," Biotechnology Industry Organization and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, October 17-18, 2005, New York, New York.
• "Fibrin Sealant Hemostatic Bandage" Research Poster Presentation, BIO 2005, June 19-22, 2005, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
•  "Producing complex glycoprotein of hemostasis using transgenic livestock: enabling abundant and new therapeutic alternatives" Fifth Bari International Conference on Hemophilia and Allied Disorders, von Willebrand factor (including ADAMTS-13) and Platelet Glycoproteins May 22-25, 2005 Pizzomunno, Vieste del Gargano, Foggia, Italy

Patents

• Production of high levels of transgenic factor IX without gene rescue, and its therapeutic uses, US 7888321, February 15, 2011.
• Induction of tolerance by oral administration of factor VIII and treatment of hemophilia, US 7867974, January 11, 2011.
• Transgenic nonhuman mammals producing fibrinogen in milk and methods of producing fibrin, US 7435869, October 14, 2008.
• Treatment of hemophilia with human Factor IX produced in mammary tissue of transgenic mammals, US 7419948, September 2, 2008.
• Oral treatment of hemophilia, US 7220718 May 22, 2007.
• Transgenic Fibrinogen, US 20060174357, August 3, 2006.
• Transgenic non-human mammals producing fibrinogen in their milk, US 6984772, January 10, 2006 .
  
• Transgenic non-human mammals expressing human coagulation factor VIII and von Willebrand factor US 6518482, February 11, 2003.
• Expression of Active Human Factor IX in Mammary Tissue of Transgenic Animals US 6344596, February 5, 2002.
• Expression of a heterologous protein C in mammary tissue of transgenic animals using a long whey acidic protein promoter, US 6262336, July 17, 2001.
• Transgenic Fibrinogen CA 2183546, August 21 2001.
• Transgenic non-human mammals expressing human coagulation factor VIII and von Willebrand factor US 6255554, July 3, 2001.
• Immunosorbents with developed binding efficiency and method of manufacture, US 6194552, February 27, 2001.
• Inside-out crosslinked and commercial-scale hydrogels, and sub-macromolecular selective purification using the hyrdogels, US 5977345, November 2, 1999.
• Method of coupling ligands onto supports and products produced therefrom, US 5907016, May 25, 1999.
• Transgenic Animal Expressing Human Coagulation Factor VIII and Von Willebrand Factor US 5880327, March 9, 1999.
• Expression of Active Human Protein C in the Mammary Tissue of Transgenic Animals Using A Long WAP Promoter US07/943246, November 1998.
• Expression of Active Human Protein C in the Mammary Tissue of Transgenic Animals US 5589604 08/247 issued December 31, 1996.
• Polyelectrolyte DNA conjugation and genetic transformation of an animal,
  US 5523222, June 4, 1996.
• Lignocellulosic and cellulosic beads for use in affinity and immunoaffinity chromatography of high molecular weight proteins, US 5328603, July 12, 1994.

Memberships and Positions

• Elected Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)
• President, Nebraska Local Section, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
• American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Advisory Board Member, Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia
• American Chemical Society (ACS)