Le Lab | UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas

Research

The Le Laboratory is composed of a core group of talented research scientists, postdoctoral fellows, students and research associates. Our work bridges the fields of Cancer Biology, Developmental Biology, and Stem Cell Biology that focuses on neural-crest derived tissue development, regeneration, and tumorigenesis, in particular, the biology of neurofibromatosis, a group of genetic disorders that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue.

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Welcome to the Le Laboratory in the Department of Dermatology and Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. One aim of our lab is to help train the next generation of scientists and physicians.

Our main mission is to understand mechanisms that initiate Schwann cell tumors and drive their malignant transformation as well as to translate our discoveries into new therapies for individuals with neurofibromatosis.

Our laboratory deciphers the cellular origin of neurofibroma to elucidate tumor biology and to generate tumor models for therapeutic development.

Our laboratory investigates how genetic and tumor microenvironmental events interplay to regulate neurofibroma development.

Banner 5 Genes & Dev cover plus hair follicles

Our laboratory has uncovered the identity of cells that directly give rise to hair and mechanisms that cause hair to turn gray - findings that could one day help identify possible treatments for balding and hair graying.

News

Congratulations to Dr. Nipunika Somatilaka

Congratulations to Dr. Nipunika Somatilaka, a post-doctoral fellow in the Le Lab, on receiving a Young Investigator Award from the Children's Tumor Foundation (CTF). The mission of the CTF is to drive research, expand knowledge, and advance care for the NF community. The CTF initiated the Young Investigator Award in 1985 to support early career NF researchers, such as senior doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers, to assist them in becoming established as independent NF investigators.

Meet the PI

Lu Q. Le, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Le received his Ph.D. degree in Immunology and Molecular Genetics, and a medical degree (M.D.) from the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He completed an Internship in Internal Medicine at UCLA/St. Mary Medical Center, residency training in Dermatology and a postdoctoral fellowship in Cancer Biology from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology. Dr. Le sees patients in the Dermatology clinic and at the UTSW Neurofibromatosis clinic.

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