Eric Lagasse, Associate Professor
Director, Cancer Stem Cell Center
McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine
PharmD, Strasbourg University, France, 1985
PhD, Basel University, Switzerland, 1989
Email: Lagasse@pitt.edu
Area of Interest:
Investigating the role of stem cells and progenitor cells for development of new therapeutic strategies.
Research Interest:
Eric Lagasse, Pharm.D., Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pathology, and also the Director of the Cancer Stem Cell Center at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Lagasse research program focuses on two practical aspects of stem cells biology, the use of stem cells and progenitor cells for cell-based therapy for liver diseases and the role of stem cells in cancer etiology.
Identification of human stem/progenitor cells for liver diseases:
The goal of this research is to develop a novel stem cell-based therapy for liver diseases. Our current focus is on the identification of new human stem cells. The specific aims of this research program include:
- Identification, isolation, and characterization of stem/progenitor cells for liver diseases.
- Development of reliable and convenient assays for stem cells.
- In vitro and in vivo expansion of stem cells.
- Development of cell-based therapies for liver diseases.
Identification of cancer stem cells:
The goal of this program is to develop a Cancer Stem Cell Center focusing initially on liver, colon and head and neck and ovarian cancers in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center.
The specific aims of this research program include:
- Identification, isolation, and characterization of cancer stem cells.
- Development of specific markers for cancer stem cells.
- Identification of new drug targets to cancer stem cells.
Recent Publication
Lagasse E. (2007). Liver Stem Cells: From Cell Therapy to Anti-Cancer Therapy. Principles of Tissue Engineering, Third Edition. Edited by R. Lanza, R. Langer and J. Vacanti. Elsevier/academic press. In press
Austin W. T. and Lagasse E. (2003). Hepatic regeneration from hematopoietic stem cells. Mech. Dev.120:131-35.
Iwata A, Stevenson VM, Minard A, Tasch M, Tupper J, Lagasse E, Weissman I, Harlan JM, Winn RK. (2003). Over-Expression of Bcl-2 Provides Protection in Septic Mice by a trans Effect. J. Immunol.15;171(6):3136-41.
Wang X., Foster M., Al-Dhalimy M., Lagasse E., Finegold M.and Grompe M. (2003). The origin and liver repopulating capacity of murine oval cells. PNAS. 100 Suppl 1:11881-11888.
Wang X., Willenbring H., Akkari Y., Torimaru Y., Foster M., Al-Dhalimy M., Lagasse E., Finegold M., Olson S. and Grompe M. (2003). Cell fusion is the principal source of bone marrow derived hepatocytes. Nature. 422:897-901.
Piazza F., Valens J., Lagasse E. and Schlindler C. Myeloid differentiation of FdCP1 cells is dependent on Stat5 processing. Blood. (2000). 96:1358-1365.
Lagasse E., Connors H., Al-Dhalimy M., Reitsma M., Dohse M., Osborne L., Wang X., Finegold M., Weissman I.L., and Grompe M. (2000). Purified hematopoietic stem cells can differentiate to hepatocyte in vivo. Nature Medicine 11:1229-1234.
Lagasse E., Shizuru J., Uchida N., Tsukamoto A., and Weissman I.L. Towards Regenerative Medicine. Immunity. (2001). 14:425-436.
Kogan S.C., Brown D.E., Schultz D.B., Truong BT.H., Lallemand-Breitenbach V., Guillemin M.C., Lagasse E., Weissman I.L. and Bishop J.M. BCL-2 Cooperates with Promyelocytic Leukemia Retinoic Acid Receptor Chimeric Protein (PMLRAR) to Block Neutrophil Differentiation and Initiate Acute Leukemia. J. Exp. Med. (2001). 193: 531-544.
Wang X., Al-Dhalimy, M., Lagasse, E., Finegold M. and Grompe, M. Liver repopulation and Correction of Metabolic Liver Disease by Transplanted Adult Mouse Pancreatic Cells. Am. J. Path. (2001). 158:571-579.
Yuan Y., Zhou L., Miyamoto T., Iwasaki H., Harakawa N., Hetherington C.J., Burel S.A., Lagasse E., Weissman I.L., Akashi K., and Zhang Dong-Er. AML1-ETO expression is directly involved in the development of acute myeloid leukemia in the presence of additional mutations. PNAS. (2001). 98: 10398-10403.
Wang X., Al-Dhalimy M., Lagasse E., Finegold M., and Grompe M. Kinetics of liver repopulation after bone marrow transplantation. Am. J. Path. (2002). 161:565-74.
Jaiswal S., Traver D., Miyamoto T., Akashi K., Lagasse E., and Weissman I.L. (2003). Development of murine chronic and acute myelogenous leukemia with targeted expression of BCR/ABL to common myeloid progenitors. PNAS 100(17):10002-7.
