William H. Velander

William Velander

Contact Information:

City Campus (Lincoln)
OTHM B205M
(402) 472-3697
wvelander2@unl.edu

Personal Links:

• Biomedical Engineering Faculty

Professional Memberships:

• American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers

College of Engineering Distinguished Scholar

Academic Degrees

  • 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

Experience

Completed Research Support:

  • National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (R01 HL078944) “cGMP Recombinant FIX for IV and Oral Hemophilia B Therapy."  Role: Principal Investigator. The major goal of this project is to develop an abundant, pure, safe, and effective therapy for all hemophilia B patients.. (9/26/2005-8/31/2012)

Memberships and Positions:

  • Elected Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE)
  • American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

  • 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.
  • 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.

Research Profiles:

In the News: Powered by the Nebraska Engineering News

Inventions/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.

Courses Taught

About William H. Velander

Since 1987, when contamination of blood plasma-derived medicines by HIV and Hepatitis B and C became a world-wide epidemic, Velander has been working on the design and development of safer, more abundant sources of biotherapeutics.  In that effort, Velander has worked jointly with the American Red Cross Holland Laboratory to pioneer genetically engineered versions of human anticoagulant Protein C, human anti-hemophiliac factors VIII, VWF, IX, and fibrinogen from the milk of transgenic animals. Velander’s group also helped in pioneering efforts to humanize pig tissue to provide stop-gap alternatives for organ transplants. His work on transgenic animals has been described in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Nature Biotechnology and more recently in the Nature series Scientific Reports (2015). 

Perhaps the best measure of the societal impact of his works is documented in the popular media, notably Discover (May, 1998), Smithsonian (July, 1998), Scientific American (January, 1997) and the cover story of National Geographic, (October, 1999), “21st Century Medicine: Genetic Promises” on the Discovery Health Channel (November, 2001), and an exhibit that featured his work entitled “Engineering Genes” at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois.  His opinion on the synthesis of blood protein biotherapeutics using recombinant methods has recently appeared in 2011 issue of Nature. He was recently a consultant to producer and actor Harrison Ford for the 2010 motion picture film “Extraordinary Measures” which showed how scientists can favorably impact the world of medicine and which was related to Professor Velander’s work in genetically engineered medicines.

Velander is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Medical & Biological Engineering which requires its fellows to be judged as in the top 2% of bio- and medical engineering. In 2012, he was selected as an AIMBE ambassador to Capitol Hill to lobby for more federal funding for biomedical engineering by the federal government.  Velander has also been 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 20 US patents concerning the design, processing and production of blood-derived and recombinant biotherapeutics.

In the News:

Honors and Awards

  • 1994 - Virginia Technological Institute Alumni Award for Excellence in Research
  • 2000 - Elected Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Bioengineering
  • 2004 - D.R. Voelte Jr. and N.A. Keegan Endowed Chair in Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • 2014 - College of Engineering Distinguished Scholar, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Funding

  • NEDED Phase II grant from LNKChemsolutions PRIME CONTRACT NUMBER 12-01-218 "Hemostat Patch Program," $150,000 to WHV.  (12-1-2013 to 8-31-2016)

  • USARMY (GRANT 10824516) “Technologies for Hemostasis and Stabilization of the Acute Traumatic Wound,” Role: Co-Principal Investigator.  The objective is to develop technologies to treat hemorrhage with dressings made of resorbable synthetic polymers and human fibrin sealant.  Total award to WHV of $1,783,613 from DoD-USAMRAA through UNMC. (9/26/11-8-31-2016)

Selected Publications

  • Vanderslice, N. C., Messer, A. S., Vadivel, K., Bajaj, S. P., Phillips, M., Fatemi, M., Xu, W., and Velander, W. H. (2015) Quantifying vitamin K-dependent holoprotein compaction caused by differential gamma-carboxylation using high-pressure size exclusion chromatography. Anal Biochem 479, 6-14.
  • Zhao, J., Xu, W., Ross, J. W., Walters, E. M., Butler, S. P., Whyte, J. J., Kelso, L., Fatemi, M., Vanderslice, N. C., Giroux, K., Spate, L. D., Samuel, M. S., Murphy, C. N., Wells, K. D., Masiello, N. C., Prather, R. S., and Velander, W. H. (2015) Engineering protein processing of the mammary gland to produce abundant hemophilia B therapy in milk. Sci Rep @ Nature 5, 14176.
  • Yanala, U. R., Johanning, J. M., Pipinos, II, Larsen, G., Velander, W. H., and Carlson, M. A. (2014) Development of a fatal noncompressible truncal hemorrhage model with combined hepatic and portal venous injury in normothermic normovolemic swine. PLoS One 9, e108293.
  • Mark A. Carlson, Jennifer Calcaterra, Jason M. Johanning, Iraklis I. Pipinos, Crystal M. Cordes, and William H. Velander (2014) “A totally recombinant human fibrin Sealant.” J Surg Res., 2013 Oct 2. pii: S0022-4804(13)00912-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2013.09.039. [Epub ahead of print].
  • Jennifer Calcaterra, Kevin E. Van Cott, Stephen P. Butler, Geun Chjeol Gil, Marta Germano, Harrie van Veen, Kay Nelson, Erik J. Forsberg, Mark A. Carlson and William H.Velander “Recombinant Human Fibrinogen that Produces Thick fibrin Fibers and Increased Wound Adhesion and Clot Density.” Biomacromolecules, 2013 14(1): 169-178.
  • Paul E. Monahan, William H. Velander and S. Paul Bajaj, Coagulation Factor IXa. In: Neil D. Rawlings and Guy S. Salvesen, editors, Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes. Oxford: Academic Press, 2013, pp. 2898-2905. ISBN: 978-0-12-382219-2 Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
  • 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.

Recent Presentations

  • “Genetically Engineered Livestock: Bringing 21st Century Medicines to the Developing World”, Washington Philosophical Society, January 22, 2016, Cosmos Club, Washington DC.
  • “Transgenic livestock: A Bioengineering Tool for Medical Research” March 27  2015, Rio de Janeiro-State University (UENF) in Campos de Goytacazes, Brazil
  • “Recombinant human fibrinogen made in the milk of transgenic cows: post-translational structure and enhanced thromboelastic and wound adherent properties” UCSD Biochemistry Seminar Series - November 13, 2014, San Diego California.
  • “Transgenic animals as bioreactors: A new perspective on the biological medicines production." Third National Symposium on Strategies of the Government for the Development and Application of Biotechnology in Brazil, October 30th, 2013, Avenida Padre Leonel Franca, 248 - Gávea - Rio de Janeiro.
  • “Wholly Genetically Engineered Fibrin Sealants" and "Nonintravenous Delivery of Hemophilia Therapies"  October 10, 2013 at Hemobras, Recife Brazil.
  • “Large-scale Production of Functional Human Fibrinogen in the Milk of Transgenic Cows,” Plasma Biotechnology Meeting May 16, 2013 Lanzarote, Spain.
  • “Endothelial reservoir filling versus hepatic receptor mediated clearance: the bioengineering of more efficacious and safe procoagulant proteins,” US Army Institute of Surgical Research,  Fort Sam Houston, TX, April 3, 2013.
  • “Secrets of the Gene: Advancing Healthcare Worldwide Through Biotechnology,” The Washington CornHuskers Annual Spring Banquet, Seattle, Washington , March 2, 2013.
  • “Transgenic Blood Proteins: An Abundant Source for Next Generation Therapies with Worldwide Availability,” International Conference and Exhibition on Biowaivers & Biosimilars, September 10-12, 2012 Hilton San Antonio Airport, USA http://omicsonline.org/biosimilars2012/.
  • “Hemostasis and tissue engineering” US Army Institute of Surgical Research,  Fort Sam Houston, TX April 3, 2012.
  • “Transgenic Production of Blood Proteins for Treating Hemorrhage,” Instituto Vital Brazil, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, January 9th, 2012 
  • “The Interface Between Hemostasis and Inflammation:  Improving Healing by Tissue Engineering,” September 29, 2011, Pennsylvania State University Department of Chemical Engineering, State College, Pennsylvania.
  • J.G. Zhao, E.M. Walters, J. Calcaterra, L. Kelso, K. Girous, M.S. Samuel, S. Butler, W.H. Velander, R.S. Prather. “Increased propeptide processing of Factor IC in the milk of transgenic pigs by coexpression of Furin,” July 18, 2011, Swine in Biomedical Research Conference 2011, National Swine Resource and Research Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • July 13, 2011, Surgery Forum Research Seminar, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.
  • "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.