Laboratory for Accelerated Vascular Research

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“We are making significant progress in understanding how the vascular system works and how vascular disease develops – knowledge that will not only help in the treatment of vascular disease, but will also benefit research in cancer, diabetes, blindness, and wound healing.”- Rong Wang, PhD
Director of LAVR

The Laboratory for Accelerated Vascular Research (LAVR), located at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) medical center, is funded annually by FAVR and the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation. Directed by Rong Wang, Ph.D., a member of the UCSF faculty, the Laboratory represents a unique collaboration of scientists and physicians who work side-by-side to generate new scientific knowledge about vascular diseases that can be transferred directly into safer, more effective treatment strategies.

With its impressive accomplishments published in first class, peer-reviewed scientific journals, the Laboratory has earned a national reputation as a leading center for research on the fundamental biology of blood vessel formation and repair. Some of this work has identified novel strategies for treating major vascular diseases and impeding the growth of cancer cells. LAVR is quickly becoming an internationally recognized leader in the field of vascular research.

Listed below are the scientists and vascular surgeons who are leading the individual research teams that comprise the Laboratory for Accelerated Vascular Research:

  • Timothy A.M. Chuter, MD is a pioneer and internationally recognized expert in the field of endovascular surgery and stent technology. His research involves repairing aneurysms.
  • Robert L. Raffai, PhD is investigating the causes of diabetes, artherioclerosis and peripheral artery disease.
  • Joseph H. Rapp, M D is developing ways to improve the treatment and prevention of strokes.
  • Rajabrata Sarkar, MD, PhD is unraveling the genetic mechanism that helps in the growth of new arteries. Dr. Sarkar’s research also seeks to understand how blood clots cause scarring for those afflicted with deep vein thrombosis.
  • Darren B. Schneider, MD is focused on developing new stem cell therapies to treat patients with limb-threatening vascular disease.
  • Rong Wang, PhD is dedicated to researching the mechanics of blood vessel regeneration growth and the possible development of new therapies for cancer and restoring impaired blood flow to the limb, heart and brain.

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