Developmental Biology

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Richard A. Lang, PhD

Title

Director of the Visual Systems Group

Emma and Irving Goldman Scholar

Appointment

Professor and Endowed Chair, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Email

richard.lang@cchmc.org

Phone

513-636-2700

Fax

513-803-0740

Credentials

BSc: 1984 (with honors), University of Melbourne, Australia. Co-major in genentics and biochemistry.

PhD: 1988, University of Melbourne, Australia, at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research under Drs. AR Dunn and TJ Gonda.

Postdoctoral Fellow: 1989-92, The G.W. Hooper Research Foundation, University of California, San Francisco under Dr. JM Bishop. Studied the role of the macrophage in developmentally programmed tissue remodeling.

Position History

1993-96
Assistant Professor, Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, Cell Biology (primary appointment) and Pathology Departments, Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine.

1997-2001
Associate Professor, Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, Cell Biology (primary appointment) and Pathology Departments, Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine.

2001-present
Professor, Emma and Irving Goldman Scholar, Divisions of Developmental Biology and Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation.

Awards and Honors

• Lew R Wasserman Research to Prevent Blindness Merit Award, 2007
• Pearle Vision Foundation Award, 2006
• NYU School of Medicine multiple research grant incentive award, 2001
• NYU School of Medicine multiple research grant incentive award, 2000
• NYU School of Medicine multiple research grant incentive award, 1999
• Searle Scholar, 1994
• American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant, 1993
• Elsa U. Pardee Foundation research grant, 1993
• Leukemia Society of America Special (Senior) Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1991
• C. J. Martin National Health and Medical Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1989
• Commonwealth Postgraduate Research Award, 1985
• The Roy and Iris Simmons Prize for academic achievement, 1984

Research

Visit the Lang Lab Site.

• Wnt Ligands in Tumorigensis
• Vascular Regression and Tissue Regeneration
• Lens Induction and Morphogenesis

Research Grants and Contracts

Cadherin function in lens morphogenesis. Sep 2005- Aug 2010. #R01 EY016241

Rho GTPases in early eye development. Apr 2007- Mar 2012. #R01 EY017848. 

Macrophage and tumor angiogenesis. Co-Principal Invesigator. Dec 2007- Nov 2012. #R01 CA131270.

Targeting Survival Factors for Ocular Neovascularization. Apr 2008- Mar 2012. #R01 EY012609.

CRIM1-β-catenin-Cadherin interactions in Eye Development and Disease. MPI with Dr. Rashmi Hegde of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Apr 2009- Mar 2014. #R01 EY019377.

Sox2 and Pax6 in Eye development. Co-Principal Invesitgator. US-Israel Binational Science Foundation.  
Feb 2009- Jan 2013. 

Eyes absent phosphatase inhibitors in eye disease. MPI with Dr. Rashmi Hegde of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Apr 2009- Mar 2014. #R21 EY019125.

Publications, Most Recent

Richard Lang's publications as listed by PubMed

Chauhan BK, Disanza A, Choi SY, Faber SC, Lou M, Beggs HE, Scita G, Zheng Y, Lang RA. Cdc42-and IRSp53-dependent contractile filopodia teher presumptive lens and retina to coordinate epithelial invagination. Development (2009) Nov; 136(21):3657-67. PMID: 19820184 PMCID: PMC Journal – In Process

Makaranekova HP, Hoffman MP, Beenken A, Eliseenkova AV, Meech R, Tsau C, Patel VN, Lang RA, Mohammadi M. Differential interactions of FGFs with heparin sulfate control gradient formation and branching morphogenesis. Science Signaling (2009) Sep 15; 2(88):ra55. PMID: 19755711 PMCID: PMC Journal – In Process

Smith AN, Miller LA, Radice G, Ashery-Padan R, Lang RA. Stage-dependent modes of Pax9-Sox2 epistasis lens development and eye morphogenesis. Development (2009) Sep; 136(17): 2977-85. PMID: 19666824 PMCID: PMC Journal – In Process

Qian B, Deng Y, Im JH, Muschel RJ, Zou Y, Li J, Lang RA, Pollard JW. A district macrophage population mediates metastatic breast cancer cells extravasation, establishment and growth. PloS One (2009) Aug 10;4(8):e6562. PMID: 19668347 PMCID: PMC2721818

Shaham O, Smith AN, Robinson ML, Taketo MM, Lang RA, Ashery-Padan, R. Pax6 is essential for lens fiber cell differentiation. Development (2009) Aug; 136(15): 2567-78. PMID: 19570848. PMCID: PMC Journal – In Process

Grandy D, Shan J, Zhang X, Rao S, Akunuru S, Li H, Zhang Y, Alpatov I, Zhang XA, Lang RA, Shi DL, Zheng JJ. Discovery and characterization of a small molecule inhibitor of the PDZ domain of dishevelled.  J Biol Chem (2009) jun 12;284(24): 16256-63. PMID: 19383605. PMCID: PMC2713547

Phng, L-K, J, B., Leslie, J., Lobov, I., Ondr, J. K., Rao, S., Lang, RA, Thurston, G. and Gerhardt, H. Nrarp coordinates endothelial Notch and Wnt signaling to control vessel density in angiogenesis. Developmental Cell (2009) Jan; 16(1): 70-82. PMID: 19154719. PMCID: PMC Journal – In Process

Pontoriero GF, Smith AN, Miller LA, Radice GL, West-Mays JA, Lang RA. Co-operative roles for E-cadherin and N-cadherin during lens vesicle separation and lens epithelial cell survival. Dev Bio (2008); Nov 1. PMID: 18996109.  PMC Journal – In Process

Swindell EC, Liu C, Shah R, Smith AN, Lang RA, Jamrich M. Eye formation in the absence of retina. Dev Bio (2008); Jul 16. PMID: 18675797.  PMC Journal – In Process

Song N. and Lang RA. (2008). Eye Development using Mouse Genetics. Chapter in Animal Models for Eye Research, Eds Jochen Wittbrodt and Panagiotis Tsonis.

Rao S, Lobov IB, Vallance JE, Tsujikawa K, Shiojima I, Akunuru S, Walsh K, Benjamin LE, and Lang RA. Obligatory participation of macrophages in an Angiopoietin 2-mediated cell death switch. Development (2007) Dec; 134(24):4449-58.

N. Song, K.R. Schwab, L.T. Patterson, T. Yamaguchi, X. Lin, S.S. Potter and R.A. Lang. Pygopus2 has a critical, Wnt pathway-independent function in lens induction. Development (2007); May 134(10):1873-85.

K.R. Schwab, L.T. Patterson, H.A. Hartman, N. Song, R.A. Lang, X. Lin, and S.S. Potter. Pygo1 and Pygo2 roles in Wnt signaling in mammalian kidney development. BMC Biology (2007); April10;5:15.

V. Stoneman, D. Braganza,  N. Figg, J. Mercer,  R.A. Lang,  M. Goddard,  M. Bennett. (2007). Monocyte/macrophage suppression in CD11b diphtheria toxin receptor transgenic mice differentially affects atherogenesis and established plaques.  Circulation Research (2007); March 100: 884-893.

P.A. Campochiaro and the First ARVO/Pfizer Institute Working Group (R.A. Lang). Ocular versus Extraocular Neovascularization: Mirror Images or Vague Resemblances. IOVS 47, 462-474.

L.A. Miller, A.N. Smith, M.M. Taketo and R.A. Lang. (2006). Optic cup and facial patterning defects in ocular ectoderm β-catenin gain-of-function mice. BMC Developmental Biology, 2006 Mar 15;6:14.

Cailhier J-F, Sawatzky DA, Kipari T, Houlberg K, Walbaum D, Watson S, Lang RA, Clay S, Kluth D, Savill J. Resident pleural macrophages are key orchestrators of neutrophil recruitment in pleural inflammation.Am J Respir Care Med 2006;173:540-7.

Other Significant Publications

Lobov B, Rao S, Carroll TJ, Vallance J, Ito M, Ondr JK, Kurup S, Glass D, Patel M, Shu W, Morrisey EE, McMahon A, Karsenty G, Lang RA. Wnt7b mediates macrophage-induced programmed cell death in patterning of the vasculature.Nature 2005;437:417-21.

Lang RA. Pathways regulating lens induction in the mouse.Int J Dev Biol 2004;48:783-91.

Chow R, Lang RA. Early development of the vertebrate eye (invited review).Annual Reviews in Cell and Developmental Biology 2001;17:255-96.

Chow RL, Altmann CR, Lang RA, Hemmati-Brivanlou A. Pax6 induces ectopic eyes in a vertebrate.Development 1999;126:4213-22.

Diez-Roux G, Lang RA. Macrophages induce apoptosis in normal cells in vivo.Development 1997;124:3633-8.

Altmann CR, Chow RL, Lang RA, Hemmati-Brivanlou A. Lens induction by Pax-6 in Xenopus laevis.Developmental Biology 1997;185:119-23.

Lang RA, Bishop JM. Macrophages are required for cell death and tissue remodeling during  development of the mouse eye.Cell 1993;74:453-62.

Lang RA. The Macrophage: Hunter and Gatherer (review).In Vivo 1991;5:501-4.

Lang RA, Metcalf D, Cuthbertson RA, Lyons TI, Kelso A, Kannourakis G, Williamson DJ, Klintworth GK, Gonda TJ, Dunn AR. Transgenic mice expressing a hemopoietic growth factor  gene  (GM-CSF) develop accumulations of activated macrophages, blindness and a fatal syndrome of tissue  damage.Cell 1987;51:675-86.

Lang RA, Metcalf D, Gough NM, Dunn AR, Gonda TJ. Expression of a hemopoietic growth factor cDNA in a factor-dependent cell line results in autonomous growth and tumorigenicity.Cell 1985;43:531-42.

Presentations, Most Recent

2007

• University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center
• Pennsylvania State University
• Keystone Meeting on Macrophage Biology
• ARVO Conference on Ocular Oncology
• Gordon Conference on Phagocytes – Bryant University, Smithfield, RI
• Midwest Orthoptics Meeting
• Session Chair, National Foundation for Eye Research US-Japan Cooperative Cataract Research Group – Kona, Hawaii

2008

• US-Japan Cancer Research Workshop “Regulation of Tumor Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis” – Kyoto, Japan
• Washington University – St. Louis, MO
• The Pasteur Institute - Metchnikoff’s Legacy in 2008 – Paris, France
• Genentech – San Francisco, CA
• Gordon Research Conference on Visual Systems Development – Newport, RI
• Woods Hole course lecturer: “Fundamental Issues in Vision Research: Molecular and Cell Biological Approaches” – lecture on lens induction and Pax6 
• University of Louisville – Louisville, KY

2009

• University of Utah – Salt Lake City, UT
• University of Wisconsin – Madison
• Society for Developmental Biology – San Francisco, CA
• University of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA. Scholars in Vision Science seminar series
• 4th World Congress on Regenerative Medicine – Leipzig, Germany
• Van Andel Research Institute – Grand Rapids, MI

2010

• National Eye Institute - 2 lectures entitled: “Lens induction and morphogenesis” and “Macrophage Wnts in programmed vascular regression and tissue regeneration”
• University of Denver – Denver, CO
• Gordon Research Conference on Visual Systems Development – Lucca (Barga), Italy
• International Congress for Eye Research, session speaker – Montreal, Canada

Teaching

Join members of the Visual Systems Research Group for the The Great Lakes and Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute Vision Research Conference, November 11-12, 2005. Learn more about this conference here.