Donald M. McDonald, MD, PhD
Professor, Department of Anatomy, UCSF
Professor, Department of Anatomy, UCSF
Research in my laboratory is examining the cellular mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis, angiogenesis, and vascular remodeling in mouse models of chronic inflammation and cancer, with a focus on the respiratory tract. We use in vivo cell biological approaches to determine how abnormalities of lymphatics and blood vessels contribute to disease pathophysiology. My current interests include developing approaches for preventing, stopping, or reversing disease-related changes in lymphatics and blood vessels and learning the consequences of these actions. Related interests include the regulation of endothelial barrier function, downstream effects of altered plasma leakage, and control mechanisms of tissue fluid and cell clearance by lymphatics. Projects in the laboratory use mouse models to dissect the role of key growth factors and receptors involved in growth and remodeling of lymphatics and blood vessels and related disease processes. VEGF-C, VEGF-A, angiopoietins, TNF-alpha, HGF, and their receptors are of current interest. In mouse models, signaling is manipulated in vivo by switchable transgenic overexpression, genetic deletion, viral vectors, or pharmacological agonists or inhibitors. Ongoing studies are using the models to examine factors that drive or modify remodeling of lymphatics and blood vessels in inflammatory conditions in the lung and airways. We are also studying favorable and potentially unfavorable effects of growing or destroying lymphatics and/or blood vessels in the lung or in tumors, reflected by tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. The overall goal is to advance the understanding and development of strategies that can stop or reverse lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis and to characterize the downstream benefits and consequences of these changes in inflammatory disease and cancer.
University of California, Berkeley, A.B., 1961, Zoology
University of California, San Francisco, M.D., 1965
University of Iowa, Iowa City, 1965-1966, Internal Medicine
NIH Graduate Division, Bethesda, 1966-1969, Cell Biology & Neuroscience
University of California, San Francisco, Ph.D., 1974, Cell Biology & Endocrinology