Kun Cheng, Ph.D.

 

Assistant Professor

Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences

School of Pharmacy

University of Missouri-Kansas City

5005 Rockhill Road

Kansas City, Missouri  64110

Tel:  (816) 235-2425

Fax:  (816) 235-5779

E-mail: chengkun@umkc.edu

 

 

Academic Background

   

B.S.

Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, China, 1996

M.S.

Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, China, 1999

M.S.

Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 2001

Ph.D.

Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 2007

 

 

Professional Experience

   

2001-2002

Research Scientist, Brightfuture Pharmaceutical Company, Hong Kong

2002-2007

Research/Teaching Assistant, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN

2007

Postdoctoral Fellow, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN

2007-

Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

 

 

Research Interests

 

To develop therapeutic application of gene drugs for the treatment of breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver diseases and Type I diabetes. Our missions include: (I) to design gene expression vector based on various disease targets; and (II) to design and evaluate target delivery systems using various molecular ligands.

 

 

Open Positions

 

We are looking for highly motivated Ph.D. candidates, who should possess B.S. and M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Polymer Science or Molecular Biology to work on Gene Delivery for their Ph.D. study.  Interested students should apply online through the UMKC website.

 

 

Research Support

  1. Department of Defense (DOD), Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP)
    Concept Award ($109,086)                                     09/30/2008 ~ 09/29/2009
    Role: PI

 

Teaching

  1. PHAR 5634: Protein and Nucleic Acid Drug Delivery (3 credit hours, graduate course)
    Role: Coordinator     

  2. PHAR 5531: Physical Pharmacy Equilibria (3 credit hours, graduate course) 
    Role: Instructor

  3. PHAR 7202: Pharmaceutics I (4 credit hours, Pharm.D. course)
    Role: Instructor

  4. PHAR 7203: Pharmaceutics II (4 Credit hours, Pharm.D. course)
    Role: Instructor

 

Publications

  1. Zhu L, Ye Z, Cheng K, Miller DD, Mahato RI. Site-specific Delivery of Oligonucleotides to Hepatocytes after Systemic Administration. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 19:290-298  (2008)

  2. Cheng K, Mahato RI. Gene Modulation for Treating Liver Fibrosis. Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 24:93-146 (2007)

  3. Jia XX, Cheng K, Mahato RI. Co-expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist for Improved Human Islet Survival and Function. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 4:199-207 (2007)

  4. Cheng K, Ye Z, Guntaka RV and Mahato RI. Enhanced Hepatic Uptake and Bioactivity of Type α1(I) Collagen Gene Promoter Specific Triplex Forming Oligonucleotides after Conjugation with Cholesterol. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 317:797-805 (2006)

  5. Cheng K and Mahato RI. Biopharmaceutical Challenges in Pulmonary Delivery of Proteins and Peptides in Meibohm B. edits “Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacokinetics of Biotech Drugs”, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany (2006)

  6. Ye Z, Cheng K, Guntaka RV and Mahato RI. Biodistribution and Hepatic Uptake of M6P-BSA-TFO in Normal and Fibrotic Rats. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 17:823-830 (2006)

  7. Cheng K, Ye Z, Guntaka RV and Mahato RI. Biodistribution and Hepatic Uptake of Triplex Forming Oligonucleotides in Normal and Fibrotic Rats. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2:206 -217 (2005)

  8. Ye Z, Cheng K, Guntaka RV and Mahato RI. Targeted Delivery of a Triplex Forming Oligonucleotide to Hepatic Stellate Cells. Biochemistry, 44:4466 -4476 (2005)

  9. Mahato RI, Cheng K, Guntaka RV. Modulation of Gene Expression by Antisense, Antigene and RNAi. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2:3-28 (2005)

  10. Cheng K, Fraga D, Zhang C, Kotb M, Gaber AO, Guntaka RV, and Mahato RI. Adenovirus-Based Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene Delivery to Human Pancreatic Islets. Gene Therapy, 11:1105-16 (2004)

  11. Narang AS, Cheng K, Henry J, Zhang C, Sabek O, Fraga D, Kotb M, Gaber AO and Mahato RI.  Vascular endothelial growth factor gene delivery for revascularization in transplanted human islets. Pharm Res. 21:15-25 (2004)

  12. Cheng K and Lim LY. Insulin-loaded calcium pectinate nanoparticles: Effect of pectin molecular weight and formulation pH. Drug Dev Ind Pharm. 30:359-367 (2004)

  13. Zhang JH, Zhu JB, Chen XJ, Zhao R, Gang YY, Wu ZH, Cheng K and Xu XY. Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of sustained release and conventional formulation of acyclovir. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 26:145-8 (2001)

  14. Cheng K, Zhu J, Song X, Sun L and Zhang JH. Studies of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose donut-shaped tablets. Drug Dev Ind Pharm. 25:1067-71 (1999)

  15. Cheng K, Zhu JB and Yang SC. Preparation of nimodipine solid lipid nanoparticles by the high-pressure homogenizer method. Chinese Journal of Pharmaceuticals (Zhongguo Yiyao Gongye Zazhi). 30:441-444 (1999)

  16. Cheng K and Zhu JB. Comparison and Evaluation of Some Methods for Population Pharmacokinetic Analyses. China Pharmacist. 2:45-48 (1999)