Urban Lab
Research in our laboratory is focused on inherited diseases of the elastic fiber system. Elastic fibers are multiprotein polymer complexes of the extracellular matrix that provide resilience to tissues in many organs including blood vessels, lungs and skin.
Recent studies, including work in our laboratory, show that in addition to their mechanical function elastic fiber proteins are important for differentiation and organogenesis. We take a genetic approach to further understand these functions by identifying disease-causing mutations in patients with supravalvular aortic stenosis, and obstructive vascular disease, or cutis laxa, a skin disease characterized by redundant skin. The mechanisms leading to these diseases are further elucidated by analyzing tissue samples from patients, cell culture and animal models.
Contact Information
Zsolt Urban, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Genetics
Washington University School of Medicine
McDonnell Pediatric Research Building
660 South Euclid Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Phone: (314) 286-2973
Fax: (314) 286-2893
Email: urban_z@kids.wustl.edu
Urban Lab
Research in our laboratory is focused on inherited diseases of the elastic fiber system. Elastic fibers are multiprotein polymer complexes of the extracellular matrix that provide resilience to tissues in many organs including blood vessels, lungs and skin.
Recent studies, including work in our laboratory, show that in addition to their mechanical function elastic fiber proteins are important for differentiation and organogenesis. We take a genetic approach to further understand these functions by identifying disease-causing mutations in patients with supravalvular aortic stenosis, and obstructive vascular disease, or cutis laxa, a skin disease characterized by redundant skin. The mechanisms leading to these diseases are further elucidated by analyzing tissue samples from patients, cell culture and animal models.
Contact Information
Zsolt Urban, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Genetics
Washington University School of Medicine
McDonnell Pediatric Research Building
660 South Euclid Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Phone: (314) 286-2973
Fax: (314) 286-2893
Email: urban_z@kids.wustl.edu