Exploring molecular regulation of angiogenesis and vascular homeostasis
What We Do
Scroll to learn about our most recent discoveries in vascular biology.
Hilfenhaus Cancer Res. 2021
We performed a high-content screen to identify drugs that block tumor cell extravasation by testing 3,520 compounds on a transendothelial invasion coculture assay. Our findings designate niclosamide as an effective drug that restricts tumor cell extravasation through modulation of signaling pathways, chemokines, and tumor–endothelial cell interactions.
McDonald Cell Stem Cell 2018
Here we studied the molecular mechanisms of endothelial cell regeneration in adult vessels. Using a model of aortic injury, we found that regeneration occurs at the edges of the wounded area with equal strength and regardless of flow direction. Through a robust proliferative response, the wound closes by efforts of a rapidly dividing cell population that expresses Atf3.
Hilfenhaus J. Cell Biol. 2018
The guanosine nucleotide exchange factor Vav3 promotes high-resistance barrier function to microvascular endothelium. Ectopic expression of Vav3 in large artery and brain endothelial cells significantly enhance barrier resistance and cortical rearrangement of actin cytoskeleton, a process that requires interaction with Rap1.
Ziyad Cell Reports 2018
A transposon mutagenesis screen revealed that mutations in the hemogenic endothelium can result in hematopoietic pathologies of myeloid and lymphoid nature. The approach identified Pi4ka, a lipid kinase that in this context promotes myeloid and erythroid dysfunction and results in pronounced anemia.
Learn more about the important work being done in our department.Visit Cell & Developmental Biology