CVRI Scientists

Rong Wang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery

Research Interests:
Arteriovenous specification, arteriogenesis, angiogenesis, Notch, blood vessel development, cancer and ischemia

Summary:
Understanding what controls blood vessel development and identity is an important focus of current biomedical research because of its broad implication in cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke and many other human diseases. Much of the current research on blood vessel growth, angiogenesis, is centered on capillaries, the small blood vessels that connect the arterial and venous networks. The molecular signals that direct a newly forming vessel to become an artery or a vein are poorly understood. Similarly, the mechanisms responsible for development, maintenance and re-growth of arteries and veins are still largely a mystery. The first genetic component of arteriovenous (AV) specification was recently discovered. During embryonic development, ephrinB2, a cell surface protein, is specifically expressed in the developing arteries. The gene encoding this protein, ephrinB2, is linked to another gene, Notch, which encodes a transmembrane receptor protein, Notch, that is an upstream member of the same signaling pathway. Our laboratory is focused on determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying Notch- and ephrinB2-mediated arterial growth and differentiation. We study Notch- and ephrinB2-mediated arterial growth and differentiation in three contexts: development, cancer and revascularization (development of new blood vessels or expansion of existing blood vessels) following ischemia (stroke). In addition, we look at gain-of-function (protein overexpression) and loss-of-function (gene deletion) mutations. The overall goal of our research is to identify novel drug targets and develop new therapies for cancer, ischemia, peripheral arterial disease, heart attack and stroke, some of the world's most common and devastating diseases.