Gary Van Zant, PhD

Professor
Internal Medicine
Director, Clinical Stem Cell Lab, BMT

Mailing Address:
Division of Hematology & BMT
Markey Cancer Center, CC414
800 Rose St.
Lexington, KY 40536-0093
Phone: 859-323-5719
Fax: 859-257-3757
E-mail: gvzant1@uky.edu

Research Interests

Dr. Van Zant’s laboratory studies the effects of aging on adult stem cell populations, particularly hematopoietic stem cells found in the bone marrow. Aging is the single greatest predictor of cancer development, and our research is focused on how age-dependent changes in stem cells predispose to carcinogenesis. We focus on the development of leukemias, lymphomas, and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a disease that often results from the treatment of other cancers using radiation and chemotherapy.

To study the effects of aging on the hematopoietic stem cell population, we have used the power of mouse genetics to map, identify, and characterize quantitative trait loci that influence stem cells in healthy aging and during cancer development. This forward genetic approach has led to the discovery that a protein called latexin is important in maintaining the natural size of the stem cell population during a lifetime. Perhaps not surprisingly, alterations in latexin expression are associated with development of lymphoma, leukemia and MDS.

We are currently exploring the tumor suppressor activity of latexin and the changes that occur in its function during aging and development of blood cancers.

For a list of Dr. Van Zant’s publications, please visit the PubMed website.