CORPORATE PROFILE

Dr. Shu-Tung Li, Founder of the Shu-Tung and Alice Li Foundation, holds over 45 years of experience in connective tissue research and collagen and mineral based implant development in the medical and dental industry.

Dr. Li received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Connecticut where he pursued ten years of research on the structure, function and properties of collagen in mineralized and non-mineralized tissues. 

Following his tenure at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Li moved to New Jersey. In 1991, after holding key research and managerial positions at several biomedical companies, Dr. Li joined a group of renown surgeons and co-founded Regen Biologics, Inc., an orthopaedic company specializing in the development of collagen meniscus repair devices. As Co-founder, Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Board Member, Dr. Li and his collaborators received the GOTS-Beiersdorf Research Award for the Collagen Meniscus Implant in 2000.

In 1997, Dr. Li founded a New Jersey Company Collagen Matrix, Inc. (CMI). During the initial six years, Dr. Li was awarded 11 NIH grants (SBIR phase I, phase II and RO1), totaling about $8 MM. Over the next decade and a half, Dr. Li established CMI as a market leader in the design, development, and manufacture of collagen and mineral based products for dental, orthopaedic, spine, dural and nerve repair with over 30 products marketed and over 150 employees. 

Dr. Li was named Chief Executive in 2009 and 2012 by NJBIZ and NJ Tech Counsel respectively and inducted to the NJ Inventors Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2016, Dr. Li was inducted to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and was one of the finalists in NJ EY Entrepreneur of the Year. 

Throughout his life-long commitment to science, Dr. Li has authored over 100 publications, and has been awarded 37 U.S. patents and 20 government grants. Combining his history in both Academia and Industry, Dr. Li is well equipped to bring Shu-Tung and Alice Li Foundation, Laboratory for Tissue Engineering Research, to the forefront of regenerative medicine.

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Wei Chang is a Scientist at the Li Foundation. He obtained his Ph.D. in Biomedical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and completed his post-doctoral training from Rutgers University New Jersey Center for Biomaterials. 

Wei is passionate about translating applied research into cutting edge products to address unmet clinical needs. He specializes in the area of regenerative medicine. 

During his 10 years in tissue engineering and implantable medical device research and development, Wei has advanced his technical skills and strengthened his critical and innovative thinking. He has been an integral member of the team since the laboratory’s founding.

In his free time, Wei likes to hike, take photos, tend to his garden, and play basketball with friends. For Wei, there is never a morning without French pressed coffee.

Kevin Capariño is an Associate Scientist at the Li Foundation. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Rutgers University and his Master's (with Thesis) in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania with the intent to expand his working knowledge in tissue engineering and to gain relevant experience in usable skills and techniques.  

As an Associate Scientist at the Li Foundation, Kevin's aim is to contribute to, and participate in, the Foundation's mission of translating tissue-engineered solutions from the research benchtop to real-world clinical relevance.  Along with continually developing his capability to do research, Kevin’s current activities are regarding the development of collagen-based inks for 3D bioprinting as well as utilizing collagen in the design of extracellular matrices.

When not in the lab, Kevin enjoys snowboarding, eating plain bagels with cream cheese, and supporting Philadelphia sports teams.

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