Deborah Lang, PhD

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Lang, appointed as an Associate Professor of Dermatology, was recruited from the University of Chicago. Here at BU, she will continue her basic science research mission focusing on the molecular and cellular biology of melanoma. The lab’s research is centered on studying processes that occur during pigment cell development of the embryo and applying these findings toward melanoma. The premise is that pathways that are essential for development (such as growth, survival, and migration) are also important for melanoma progression (over-growth, inappropriate survival, and metastasis). She has mentored over twenty students and has served as an elected council member and plenary speaker of the Pan American Society for Pigment Cell Research.

Publications

  • Published 9/9/2025

    Yevdash JI, Robinson D, Moore R, Li Z, Campbell-Hanson KR, Gutelius D, Moore SPG, Friend D, O'Toole I, Montgomery C, Riordan JD, Dupuy AJ, Cornell RA, Binkley EM, Lang D, Weigel RJ, Kenny C. Mitfa-Independent Melanocyte Progenitors are Highly Susceptible to GNAQ-induced Uveal Melanoma in Adult Zebrafish. bioRxiv. 2025 Sep 09. PMID: 40950146.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/14/2025

    Moore SPG, Ganesh Krishnan S, Jaswanth Kothari R, Prince NB, Kenny C, Zhang C, Lang D. PAX3 Regulatory Signatures and Gene Targets in Melanoma Cells. Genes (Basel). 2025 May 14; 16(5). PMID: 40428399.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 8/1/2024

    La J, Wang L, Corrigan JK, Lang D, Lee MH, Do NV, Brophy MT, Paller CJ, Fillmore NR. Abiraterone or Enzalutamide for Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Aug 01; 7(8):e2428444. PMID: 39150709.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/29/2022

    Vittoria MA, Kingston N, Kotynkova K, Xia E, Hong R, Huang L, McDonald S, Tilston-Lunel A, Darp R, Campbell JD, Lang D, Xu X, Ceol CJ, Varelas X, Ganem NJ. Inactivation of the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway promotes melanoma. Nat Commun. 2022 Jun 29; 13(1):3732. PMID: 35768444.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 12/29/2021

    Huang L, Zhai Y, Fajardo CD, Lang D. YK-4-279 Attenuates Progression of Pre-Existing Pigmented Lesions to Nodular Melanoma in a Mouse Model. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Dec 29; 14(1). PMID: 35008307.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 35 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Member, BU-BMC Cancer Center
    Boston University

Websites

Education

  • Drexel University College of Medicine, PhD
  • Philadelphia University, BS

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