Academic Background

Nathan Lawson received his B.S. in Zoology from the University of Rhode Island in 1994, and his Ph.D. in Biology from Yale University in 1999. From 1999 to 2002, he was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Associate at the National Institutes of Health where he utilized the zebrafish to study developmental angiogenesis.  Dr. Lawson joined the Program in Gene Function and Expression at the University of Massachusetts Medical School as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 2002.

Developmental angiogenesis and the basis of endothelial heterogeneity

We utilize the zebrafish as a model system to understand how new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) is coordinated and patterned in the developing embryo.  We also have an interest in the developmental basis of endothelial differentiation, which is essential to program blood vessel identity in distinct vascular beds in the mature animal.  We have also developed and applied cutting edge knockout technology to establish zebrafish models of vascular disease.  These include models in which deficient neurovascular formation leads to neurodegeneration, as well as models of congenital lymphedema.  These models will serve as excellent platforms for small molecule screens to identify compounds useful in the treatment of vascular diseases.  For more information, see our lab website at lawsonlab.umassmed.edu

Laboratory Personnel

For a current list of lab personnel, please visit our lab web page.