Wei-Ming Duan, MD, Ph.D.

Wei-Ming Duan, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Anatomy with extensive experience teaching gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, and histology to medical students. He is a proven educator and leader with expertise in course direction and coordination, curriculum design, and implementation of active learning in medical education. He is recognized by students and peers for teaching excellence and positive impact in clinical anatomy and medical education. He also serves on faculty governance and committees (e.g., Promotion & Tenure Committee), reflecting active academic service. Dr. Duan is also an accomplished principal investigator with a strong research record in neuroscience, gene therapy, and stem cells using molecular and cellular biology approaches, supported by animal studies. Demonstrated strengths in academic planning, complex problem-solving, scientific writing, and scholarly publishing, including service as a section editor and an editorial board member for scientific journals.

• 1997 Ph.D. in Neurobiology, Section for Neuronal Survival, Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Lund University, Sweden.
• 1993 Course certificate, Specialist course “Immunology Update for Clinicians and Scientists”. Royal Postgraduate Medical School of the University of London in London, England, UK. 
• 1988 Master of Science (MS), Neuroanatomy and Neuroscience, Department of Anatomy, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. 
• 1983 M.D., Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China. 

• 2024 Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM) Faculty Celebrating Achievements & Recognizing Excellence (CARE) Award. 
• 2023 A badge for Recognition for Teaching Excellence - Subject Expertise from the OU-HCOM Teaching Excellence Awards program.
• 2023 Nominated for the Provost Award for Excellence in Teaching at OU.
• 2023 Distinguished Osteopathic Commitment (DOC) Awards, Outstanding Small Group Coach, OU-HCOM.
• 2022 OU-HCOM Faculty Celebrating Achievements & Recognizing Excellence (CARE) Award.

• Previous Focus: Investigation of stem cell and gene therapies within animal models of Parkinson’s disease.
• Current Specialization: Clinically oriented human anatomy, specifically the structural organization and anatomical variations of the neurovascular and musculoskeletal systems.
• Clinical Applications: Examination of how anatomical complexity and variability impact surgical approaches, diagnostic imaging, and medical education.
• Methodology: Utilization of cadaveric dissection, morphometric analysis, and correlation with CT and MRI imaging.
• Interdisciplinary Goals: Development of collaborative research bridging the fields of anatomy, surgery, radiology, and medical education.
• Translational Objectives: Translation of anatomical knowledge into clinically meaningful applications while advancing innovative, evidence-based teaching methods.

• Wang W, Tan T, Cao Q, Zhang F, Rein B, Duan W-M, and Yan Z, Histone Deacetylase Inhibition Restores Behavioral and Synaptic Function in a Mouse Model of 16p11.2 Deletion, The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 25:877-889, 2022 
• Hao F, Yang C, Chen S-S, Wang Y-Y, Zhou W, Hao Q, Lu T, Hoffer B, Zhao L-R, Duan W-M*, Xu Q-Y*, Long-Term Protective Effects of AAV9-Mesencephalic Astrocyte-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene Transfer in Parkinsonian Rats, Experimental Neurology, 291:120-133, 2017, *Corresponding author 
• Yang C, Hao F, He J, Lu T, Klein RL, Zhao L-R, Duan W-M*, Sequential adeno-associated viral vector serotype 9-green fluorescent protein gene transfer causes massive inflammation and intense immune response in rat striatum, Human Gene Therapy, 27:528-543, 2016 
• Li C, Zhang Y-X, Yang C, Hao F, Chen S-S, Hao Q, Lu T, Qu T-Y, Zhao L-R, Duan W-M*, Intraventricular administration of endoneuraminidase-N facilitates ectopic migration of subventricular zone-derived neural progenitor cells into 6-OHDA lesioned striatum of mice, Experimental Neurology, 277:139-149, 2016 
• Hao Q, An J-Q, Hao F, Yang C, Lu T, Qu T-Y, Zhao L-R, Duan W-M*, Inducible lentivirus-mediated expression of OCT4 gene affects multilineage differentiation of adult human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, Cellular Reprogramming, 17:347-359, 2015 
• Chen S-S, Yang C, Hao F, Li C, Lu T, Zhao L-R, Duan W-M*, Intrastriatal GDNF gene transfer by inducible lentivirus vectors protects dopaminergic neurons in a rat model of Parkinsonism, Experimental Neurology, 261:87-96, 2014 
• Yang W-H, Yang C, Xue Y-Q, Lu T, Reiser J, Zhao L-R, Duan W-M*, Regulated expression of lentivirus-mediated GDNF in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and its neuroprotection on dopaminergic cells in vitro, PLoS ONE, 8(5): e64389, 2013 
• Yang C, Yang W-H, Chen S-S, Ma B-F, Li B, Lu T, Qu T-Y, Klein RL, Zhao L-R, Duan W-M*, Pre-immunization with an intramuscular injection of AAV9-human erythropoietin vectors reduces the vector-mediated transduction following re-administration in rat brain, PLoS ONE 8(5): e63876, 2013 
• Zhang L-J, Xue Y-Q, Yang C, Yang W-H, Chen L, Zhang Q-J, Qu T-Y, Huang S, Zhao L-R, Wang X-M*, Duan W-M*, Human albumin prevents 6-hydroxydopamine-induced loss of tyrosine hydroxylase in in vitro and in vivo. PLoS ONE, 7(7): e41226, 2012 
• Xue Y-Q, Ma B-F, Zhao L-R, Tatom JB, Li B, Jiang LX, Klein RL, Duan W-M*, AAV9-mediated erythropoietin gene delivery into the brain protects nigral dopaminergic neurons in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease, Gene Therapy, 17:83-94, 2010 

BOOK CHAPTERS: 

• Duan W-M, Systematic Anatomy (textbook), Editor-in-Chief, Chinese High Education Publisher, ISBN 978-7-04-039622-5, 2014 
• Low WC, Duan W-M, Keene CD, Ni HT, and Westerman MA, Immunobiology of Neural Xenotransplantation. In Dunnet SB, Boulton AA and Baker GB, (eds) Neuromethods, Vol. 36: Neural Transplantation Methods, Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ, pp. 503-541, 1999 
• Brundin P, Duan W-M, and Sauer H, Functional effects of catecholaminergic cells grafted to the rodent striatum. In Dunnett SB and Björklund A, (eds) Functional neural transplantation, Raven Press, New York, pp. 9-46, 1994