Development and Disease Group

Jan Stenman
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd
Karolinska Institutet
Box 240
SE-171 77 Stockholm
Sweden

Visiting Address: Nobels Väg 3

Phone: +46 8 524 871 60
Fax: +46 8 33 28 12


J. Stenman  Ph.D., Assistant Member

The growth of tumors depends on the development of a vascular network that provides oxygen and nutrients to the tumor cells. It is clear that many of the mechanisms that operate in normal and pathological vascular development are the same. Importantly, the vascular endothelium exhibits organ-specific properties that are tailored to the organ it serves. However, how these differences between the vascular beds of various organs arise is largely unknown. The aim of our research is to define some of the mechanisms operating in organ-specific vascular development and disease.

Unfortunately, central nervous system (CNS) tumors are very hard to treat and remain uniformly fatal. In fact, CNS tumors are the leading cause of death in children. Interestingly, the vascular endothelium of the central nervous system (CNS) differs from most other organ systems in that the vascular cells establish a blood-brain barrier that serves a critical neuroprotective role in preventing the free flow of substances between the blood and CNS. We have provided functional evidence that neural Wnt-signals regulate CNS-specific angiogenesis and endothelial cell differentiation in vivo through a direct canonical signaling mechanism. We aim to further define the role of Wnt signaling in the CNS vasculature both during normal and tumor vascular development. We also hope to define other signaling pathways that operate in CNS vasculature development and disease.

The Group

Selected Publications