Molecular Biology Laboratory - People

Junming Luo, M.D.

Molecular Biology Laboratory Coro West, Suite 402 1 Hoppin Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903 Voice: (401) 793-8387 Fax: (401) 444-5872 e-mail: Junming_Luo@Brown.edu

Education:
Postdoctoral Training, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 2002 M.D., Xiangya Medical School of Central South University, Changsha, China 1992

Research Focus:
To investigate extracellular matrix proteins (matrilins) in local response, filamentous formation and biological development of bone and cartilage. Matrilins are a novel family of extracellular oligomeric filamentous proteins that are involved in the development and homeostasis of cartilage and bone. Matrilins consist of a large filamentous network in the body, which may act as adapter molecule connecting other proteins and proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix and play important role to communication or balance between the extracellular matrix and epithelial cells. So it would be important to study the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis and to provide new therapeutic strategies to stop or slow down the progression of bone and cartilage destruction.