Rate My Professor Lauri Eklund

Lauri Eklund is Professor of Molecular Biochemistry in the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of Oulu. He earned his Ph.D. in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Oulu in 2001 and completed postdoctoral training with Professor Björn Olsen at Harvard Medical School. He holds the title of Docent in Cell and Molecular Biology. As principal investigator and research group leader of the ECM and Hypoxia Research Unit at Biocenter Oulu, Eklund directs studies on endothelial cell and extracellular matrix biology. He co-leads a Biocenter Oulu spearhead project with Professor Vesa Kiviniemi on brain waste clearance pathways and previously served as Chair of the Board for Biocenter Finland.

Eklund's academic interests center on vascular morphogenesis, the interplay between endothelial cells, extracellular matrix, and cell-cell contacts that regulate vascular integrity, and disease mechanisms in vascular anomalies such as venous malformations. His group employs advanced models including microfluidic platforms and human cell-based systems to investigate these processes. Major publications include 'Therapeutic targeting of the angiopoietin-TIE pathway' (2017), 'Lymphangiogenesis requires Ang2/Tie/PI3K signaling for VEGFR3 cell surface expression' (2022), 'VEGFB/VEGFR1-Induced Expansion of Adipose Vasculature Counteracts Insulin Resistance and Maintains Metabolic Homeostasis' (2016), 'Angiopoietin signaling in the vasculature' (2013), and 'Claudin5 protects the peripheral endothelial barrier in an organ- and segment-specific manner' (2022). These contributions have illuminated therapeutic targets for vascular diseases and garnered substantial citations. Eklund's research receives support from the Academy of Finland, Wihuri Foundation, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, and European Research Council grants, underscoring his impact in the field of vascular biology.