Lester F. Lau, Ph.D.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
University of Illinois at Chicago
900 S. Ashland Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60607 USA
Tel: (312) 996-6978
Fax: (312) 996-7034
lflau@uic.edu
http://www.uic.edu/com/bcmg/lau.htm

Present Position

• Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Member, University of Illinois at Chicago

Societies

• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• American Association for Cancer Research
• American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• American Society for Cell Biology
• American Society for Matrix Biology
• International CCN Society

Editorial Boards

• Molecular and Cellular Biology , 1990- present
• Experimental Cell Research, 1994-present
• Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling, 2007-present
• Cell Communication Signal, 2003-2007

Awards

• American Heart Association Established Investigator, 1992-1997
• University Scholar, University of Illinois, 1992-1995
• Pew Scholars Award in the Biomedical Sciences, 1988-1992
• American Cancer Society Junior Faculty Award, 1988-1991
• Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1983-1986

Research Themes

• The roles of CCN proteins in inflammation and wound healing
• CCN1 in angiogenesis, cardiovascular development, and cancer
• Integrin-mediated matrix signaling

Selected Recent Publications

• Jun, J.I. and Lau, L.F.
  The matricellular protein CCN1 induces fibroblast senescence and restricts fibrosis in cutaneous wound healing.
  Nat. Cell Biol. 2010; 12:676-685.
• Jun, J.I. and Lau, L.F.
  Cellular senescence controls fibrosis in wound healing.
  Aging (Albany, NY) 2010; 2:627-631.
• Bai, T., Chen, C.-C., and Lau, L.F.
  The Matricellular protein CCN1 activates a pro-inflammatory genetic program in macrophages.
  J. Immunol. 2010; 184:3223-3232.
• Chen, C.-C., Juric, V., and Lau, L.F.
  The extracellular matrix protein CCN1 dictates TNFα and FasL cytotoxicity in vivo.
  Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 2011; 691:595-603.
• Chen, C.-C. and Lau, L.F.
  Deadly Liaisons: Fatal Attraction between CCN Matricellular Proteins and the Tumor Necrosis Factor Family of Cytokines.
  J. Cell Commun.Signal. 2010; 4: 63-69.
• Juric, V., Chen, C.-C., and Lau, L.F.
  Fas-Mediated Apoptosis is Regulated by the Extracellular Matrix Protein CCN1 (CYR61) in vitro and in vivo.
  Mol. Cell. Biol. 2009; 29:3266-3279.
• Franzen, C.A., Chen, C.-C., Todorovic, V., Juric, V., Monzon, R.I., and Lau, L.F.
  The Matrix Protein CCN1 is Critical for Prostate Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis.
  Mol. Cancer Res. 2009; 7: 1045-1055.
• Chen, C.-C. and Lau, L.F.
  Functions and mechanisms of action of CCN matricellular proteins.
  Int.J Cell. Biochem. Cell. Biol. 2009; 41:771-783. Review.
• Chen C.-C, Young, J.L., Monzon, R.I., Chen, N., Todorovic, V., and Lau, L.F.
  Cytotoxicity of TNFα is regulated by integrin-mediated matrix signaling.
  EMBO J. 2007; 26:1257-1267.
• Mo, F.-E and Lau, L.F.
  The matricellular protein CCN1 is essential for cardiac development. Circ. Res. 2006; 99: 961-969.
• Todorovic, V., Chen, C.-C., Hay, N., and Lau, L.F.
  The matrix protein CCN1 (CYR61) induces apoptosis in fibroblasts.
  J. Cell Biol. 2005; 171: 559-568.
• Lau, L.F. and Lam, S.C.-T.
  Integrin-mediated CCN functions.
  In "CCN proteins: a new family of cell growth regulators," B. Perbal and M. Takigawa,
  Eds. Imperial College Press, UK. 2005; pp.61-79.
• Lin, C.G., Chen, C.C., Leu, S.J., Grzeszkiewicz, T.M., and Lau, L.F.
  Integrin-dependent functions of the angiogenic inducer NOV (CCN3): implication in wound healing.
  J Biol Chem. 2005; 280: 8229-37.
• Leu, S.J., Chen, N., Chen, C.C., Todorovic, V., Bai, T., Juric, V., Liu, Y., Yan, G., Lam, S.C., and Lau, L.F.
  Targeted mutagenesis of the angiogenic protein CCN1 (CYR61): selective inactivation of integrin α6β1-heparan sulfate proteoglycan coreceptor-mediated cellular functions.
  J. Biol. Chem. 2004; 279: 44177-44187.
• Chen, N., Leu, S.J., Todorovic, V., Lam, S.C., and Lau, L.F.
  Identification of a novel integrin αvβ3 binding site in CCN1 (CYR61) critical for pro-angiogenic activities in vascular endothelial cells.
  J. Biol. Chem. 2004; 279: 44166-44176.
• Leu, S.-J., Liu, Y., Lam., S.C.-T., and Lau, L.F.
  Identification of a novel integrin α6β1 binding site in the angiogenic inducer CCN1 (CYR61).
  J. Biol. Chem. 2003; 278: 33801-33808.
• Schober, J. M., Ugarova, T.P., Lau, L.F., and Lam, S.C.-T.
  Identification of a novel αMβ2 binding site in CCN1 (CYR61), a matricellular protein expressed in healing wounds and atherosclerotic lesions.
  J. Biol. Chem. 2003; 278: 25808-25815.
• Lin, C., Leu, S.-J., Chen, N., Tebeau, C.M., Lin, S.-X., Yeung, C.-Y., and Lau, L.F.
  CCN3 (NOV) is a novel angiogenic regulator of the CCN protein family.
  J. Biol. Chem. 2003; 278: 24200-24208.
• Mo, F.-E, Muntean, A.G., Chen, C.-C., Stolz, D.B, Watkins, S.B., and Lau, L.F.
  CYR61 (CCN1) is essential for placental development and vascular integrity.
  Mol. Cell. Biol. 2002; 22: 8709-8720.
• Leu, S.J., Lam, S.C.-T., and Lau, L.F.
  Proangiogenic activities of CYR61 (CCN1) mediated through integrins αvβ3 and α6β1  in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
  J. Biol. Chem. 2002; 277: 46248-55.
• Grzeszkiewicz, T.M., Lindner, V., Chen, N., Lam, S.C.-T., and Lau, L.F.
  CYR61 is upregulated during vascular injury and stimulates vascular smooth muscle cell adhesion and chemotaxis through integrin α6β1 and cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans.
  Endocrinology. 2002; 143: 1441-1450.
• Lau, L.F. and Lam, S.C.-T.
  The CCN family of angiogenic regulators: the integrin connection.
  Exp. Cell Res. 1999; 248:30-43. Review.