Hainan Lang, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Education:

• M.D., Jinzhou Medical College, China, 1991
• Ph.D., Otolaryngology, Capital University of Medical Science, China, 1997
• Residency, Otolaryngology, Jinzhou Medical College
• Fellowship, Otolaryngology, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing Tong-Ren Hospital
• Postdoc., Purdue University, 1997-1999; Medical University of South Carolina,   1999-2003

Professional Experiences:

2004	Research Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, MUSC
2005-2008	Research Assistant Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, MUSC
2007-	Member of the Graduate Faculty, the College of Graduate Studies, MUSC
2008-	Assistant Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, MUSC

Research Interests:

1) Stem cell therapy in hearing loss:
Our recent studies on embryonic stem cells and adult bone marrow stem cells are aimed at replacing or regenerating damaged cochlear cells, protecting cochlear cells from apoptosis and promoting functional recovery in animal models of hearing loss.  The animal models established in our laboratory include several gene knockout mice, ototoxic drug exposed mice and gerbils, and mouse xenograft models based on severely immune-incompetent mice (humanized mice).  Molecular biological, electrophysiological and immunoflourescent techniques, confocal and transmission electron microscopy, stem cell transplantation assays and microsurgery are used in our investigations.

2) Cellular and molecular mechanisms of auditory nerve survival and degeneration:
Genetically modified mouse models have been used for understanding the particular genes in spiral ganglion neuron (SGN) pathogenesis and potential therapeutic applications.  Specifically, we focus on the functional role of the transcription factor NF-kappa B and its related pathways on protecting SGNs from insult-induced apoptosis.  These experiments employ multi-level approaches including DNA microarray, real-time RT-PCR, proteomics, protein microarray, western blot analysis, molecular imaging of living cells as well as electrophysiological techniques.

Funded Projects:

“Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells and the Aging Inner Ear”
P50 DC00422   Lang (PI)        NIH/NIDCD                       
The major goals are to determine the roles of hematopoietic stem cells on the age-related hearing loss (presbyacusis) in the human inner ear.

“Cell Survival and Cell Death in the Auditory Nerve”
R03 DC007506-02   Lang (PI)       NIH/NIDCD                                                                                                                                            
The overall objective of this project is to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of spiral ganglion neuron degeneration in response to injury and with age.

Collaborated Projects:

“Inner Ear Ion Transport Mechanisms”
R01 DC00713-16   Schulte (PI)     NIH/NIDCD
The major goals are to identify and define the precise cellular and subcellular distribution of diverse ion transport, mediators in the normal inner ear.

“Hematopoietic Origin of Mesenchymal Stem Cells”
R01 DK0077821   Ogawa (PI)      NIH/ NIDDK
The major goals are to identify the reconstitution potentials of mouse hematopoietic stem cells, i.e. abilities to generate fat tissues, bones and cartilages. 

Selected Publications:

H. Lang, M.M. Bever and D.M. Fekete (2000). Cell proliferation and cell death in the development chick inner ear. J Comp Neurol. 417:205-220.

R.A. Schmidet and H. Lang (2000).  Functional changes in the ear with old age: a review.  J Acoust Soc Am. 107(5):2797.

H. Lang and D.M. Fekete (2001). Lineage analysis in the chicken inner ear show differences in clonal dispersion for epithelial, neuronal, and mesenchymal cells. Dev Biol. 234:120-137.

H. Lang, B.A. Schulte and R.A. Schmiedt (2002). Endocochlear potential and action potential recovery functions in the C57BL/6J mouse. Hear Res. 172:118-126.

R.A. Schmiedt, H.Okamura, H. Lang and B.A. Schulte (2002). Ouabain application to the round window of the gerbil cochlea: a model of auditory neuropathy and apoptosis. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 03:223-233.

A.C. Spiess, H. Lang, B.A. Schulte, S.S. Spicer and R.A. Schmiedt (2002). Effects of gap junction uncoupling in the gerbil cochlea. Laryngoscope. 112:1635-1641.

R.A. Schmiedt, H. Lang, H. Okamura and B.A. Schulte (2002). Effects of furosemide applied chronically to the round window: A model of metabolic presbyacusis. J Neuroscience. 22(21):9643-9650.

Y. Li, C. Liu, X. Chen, H. Lang, B. Liu, L. Guo and D. Han (2002). Distribution of calmodulin in the hair cells of the guinea pig cochlea.  Chin Arch Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg.9(6): 352-354.

H. Lang, B.A. Schulte and R.A. Schmiedt (2003). Cell division in the gerbil inner ear: effects of chronic-furosemide treatment and age. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 4(2):164-175.

Y. Wang, A. Meng, H. Lang, S. A. Brown, J.L. Konopa, M.S. Kindy, R.A. Schmiedt, J.S. Thompson and D. Zhou (2004). Activation of NF-kB in vivo selectively protects the murine small intestine against ionizing radiation-induced damage. Cancer Res. 64:6240-6246.

H. Lang, B.A. Schulte and R.A. Schmiedt (2005). Ouabain induces apoptotic cell death in type I spiral ganglion neurons, but not type II neurons. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 6:63-74.

H. Lang, Y. Ebihara, R.A. Schmiedt, H. Minamiguchi, D. Zhou, N. Smythe, L. Liu, M. Ogawa, B.A. Schulte (2006). Hematopoietic origin of mesenchymal cells and fibrocytes in the adult inner ear.  J Comp Neurol. 496: 187-201.

H. Lang, B.A Schulte, D. Zhou, N. Smyth, S.S. Spicer, R.A. Schmiedt (2006).  Deficiency of the p50 subunit of nuclear-factor kappa B causes progressive age-related auditory nerve degeneration and increased susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss.  J Neurosci. 26(13): 3541-3550.

M. Moody, H. Lang, N. Smyth, P.R. Lambert and R.A. Schmiedt (2006).  Topical application of mitomycin-c is ototoxic to the gerbil.  Otol Neurotol 27(8):1186-1192.  

H. Lang, B.A. Schulte, J. Goddard, L. Wei, H. Michelle and R.A. Schmiedt (2008). Transplantation of Mouse Embryonic Neural Stem Cells into the Inner Ear of an Auditory Neuropathy Model. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol, 9:225-240.

J.C. Goddard, H. Lang, R.A. Schmiedt, N. Smyth, B.A Schulte (2009). Hepatanol application to the gerbil round window: A model of fibrocyte apoptosis. J. Assoc. Res. Otolaryngol. (in revision).

H. Lang, V. Jyothi, N. Smythe, B.A. Schulte, J.R. Dubno and R.A. Schmiedt (2009). Chronic reduction of endocochlear potential cause the decline of auditory nerve activity in an animal model of metabolic presbyacusis. J Neurophysiol (submitted).