Vincent Falanga, MD, FACP

Vincent_Falanga

Barbara A. Gilchrest Professor of Dermatology

Vice-Chair for Research

Professor of Biochemistry

Program Director for the Dermatology Residency Program

Boston University School of Medicine

Administrative Office

Boston University School of Medicine, Dept of Dermatology

609 Albany Street, J-607, Boston, MA 02118
Tel: 617-358-9700
Fax: 617-358-9709

Education

  1. College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA – BA, Chemistry, Summa cum Laude (1973)
  2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA – MD (1977)
  3. Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine, University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital (1977-1980)
  4. Residency in Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Chief Resident (1980-1982)
  5. Dermatopathology Fellowship, Roger Williams Medical Center, Boston University (2005-2006)

Clinical Specialties and Research Interests

The Wound Healing Translational Research Laboratory

  • Stem Cells, Wound Healing, Bioengineered Skin, Fibrosis, Chronic Wounds

Summary

Dr. Falanga has held professorships at Roger Williams Medical Center, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, in addition to his appointments at BUSM. He also served as the Assistant Chief of Dermatology at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center as well as being Vice President and President of the University Medical Group at Roger Williams Medical Center.

Dr. Falanga began his research career by focusing on basic science. He made seminal contributions to the expansion and growth of cells in low oxygen tension and to our understanding of the effects and regulation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). Later, he became interested in the application of recombinant growth factors in chronic non-healing human wounds, and was the lead author for the FDA-approved use of living bioengineered skin in non-healing wounds. More recently, his internationally recognized research program involves the development of novel stem cell therapies for applications to wound healing and tissue repair. This work is supported by awards from the National Institutes of Health in addition to collaborative partnerships with industry and the Department of Defense.  Dr. Falanga has focused on adult multipotent and pluripotent stem cells for accelerating wound closure. He  oversees the new Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility at BUSM for the isolation and expansion of bone marrow-derived stem cells to be used in human wounds.

Selected Publications

  1. Falanga V: Stem cells in tissue repair and regeneration. J Invest Dermatol 132:1538-1541, 2012.
  2. Falanga V: Bone marrow cells can manipulate healing. Blood 113:982-983, 2009.
  3. Falanga V, Iwamoto S, Chartier M, Yufit T, Butmarc J, Kouttab N, Shrayer D, Carson P: Autologous bone marrow-derived cultured mesenchymal stem cells delivered in a fibrin spray accelerate healing in murine and human cutaneous wounds. Tissue Engineering 13: 1299-1312, 2007.
  4. Falanga V: Wound healing and its impairment in the diabetic foot. Lancet 366:1736-1743, 2005.
  5. Falanga V, Sabolinski M: A bilayered living skin construct (Apligraf) accelerates complete closure of hard-to-heal venous ulcers. Wound Rep Reg 7:201-207, 1999.
  6. Takagi H, Ochoa S, Zhou L, Helfman T, Murata H, Falanga V: Enhanced collagen synthesis and transcription by peak E, a contaminant of L-tryptophan preparations associated with the EMS epidemic. J Clin Invest 96:2120-2125, 1995.
  7. Roberts AB, Sporn MB, Assoian RK, Smith JM, Roche NS, Wakefield LM, Heine UI, Liotta LA, Falanga V, Kehrl JH, Fauci AS: Transforming growth factor type beta. Rapid induction of fibrosis and angiogenesis in vivo and stimulation of collagen formation in vitro. Proc Natl Acad Sci 83:4167-4171, 1986.

For all publications, please see Dr. Falanga’s BU Profile.