A photo of Richard Lang.

Director, Visual Systems Group

Professor, UC Department of PediatricsUC Department of Ophthalmology

513-636-2700

513-803-0740

Biography & Affiliation

Research Interests

Wnt ligands in tumorigenesis; vascular regression and tissue regeneration; lens induction and morphogenesis.

Academic Affiliation

Professor, UC Department of PediatricsUC Department of Ophthalmology

Divisions

Ophthalmology, Developmental Biology

Education

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

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

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

Publications

Selected Publication

Adaptive Thermogenesis in Mice Is Enhanced by Opsin 3-Dependent Adipocyte Light Sensing. Nayak, G; Zhang, KX; Vemaraju, S; Odaka, Y; Buhr, ED; Holt-Jones, A; Kernodle, S; Smith, AN; Upton, BA; D'Souza, S; et al. Cell Reports. 2020; 30:672-686.e8.

Neuropsin (OPN5) Mediates Local Light-Dependent Induction of Circadian Clock Genes and Circadian Photoentrainment in Exposed Murine Skin. Buhr, ED; Vemaraju, S; Diaz, N; Lang, RA; Van Gelder, RN. Current Biology. 2019; 29:3478-3487.e4.

An opsin 5-dopamine pathway mediates light-dependent vascular development in the eye. Nguyen, MT; Vemaraju, S; Nayak, G; Odaka, Y; Buhr, ED; Alonzo, N; Tran, U; Batie, M; Upton, BA; Darvas, M; et al. Nature Cell Biology. 2019; 21:420-429.

A direct and melanopsin-dependent fetal light response regulates mouse eye development. Rao, S; Chun, C; Fan, J; Kofron, JM; Yang, MB; Hegde, RS; Ferrara, N; Copenhagen, DR; Lang, RA. Nature. 2013; 494:243-246.

Balanced Rac1 and RhoA activities regulate cell shape and drive invagination morphogenesis in epithelia. Chauhan, BK; Lou, M; Zheng, Y; Lang, RA. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 2011; 108:18289-18294.

Regulation of angiogenesis by a non-canonical Wnt-Flt1 pathway in myeloid cells. III, SJ A; Lewkowich, I; Rao, S; Mariggi, G; Carpenter, AC; Burr, AR; Fan, J; Ajima, R; Molkentin, JD; Williams, BO; et al. Nature. 2011; 474:511-516.

Macrophage Wnt7b is critical for kidney repair and regeneration. Lin, S; Li, B; Rao, S; Yeo, E; Hudson, TE; Nowlin, BT; Pei, H; Chen, L; Zheng, JJ; Carroll, TJ; et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 2010; 107:4194-4199.

WNT7b mediates macrophage-induced programmed cell death in patterning of the vasculature. Lobov, IB; Rao, S; Carroll, TJ; Vallance, JE; Ito, M; Ondr, JK; Kurup, S; Glass, DA; Patel, MS; Shu, WG; et al. Nature. 2005; 437:417-421.

MACROPHAGES ARE REQUIRED FOR CELL-DEATH AND TISSUE REMODELING IN THE DEVELOPING MOUSE EYE. LANG, RA; BISHOP, JM. Cell. 1993; 74:453-462.

TRANSGENIC MICE EXPRESSING A HEMATOPOIETIC GROWTH-FACTOR GENE (GM-CSF) DEVELOP ACCUMULATIONS OF MACROPHAGES, BLINDNESS, AND A FATAL SYNDROME OF TISSUE-DAMAGE. LANG, RA; METCALF, D; CUTHBERTSON, RA; LYONS, I; STANLEY, E; KELSO, A; KANNOURAKIS, G; WILLIAMSON, DJ; KLINTWORTH, GK; GONDA, TJ; et al. Cell. 1988; 53:675-686.