Affiliation: Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Dr. Tsutomu Kume is a professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. His research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying lymphatic and vascular development, repair, and disease. His laboratory has significantly advanced the understanding of transcriptional networks and signaling pathways that regulate lymphatic vessel formation, endothelial junction integrity, and interstitial fluid balance. He is widely recognized for pioneering studies establishing the critical roles of FOXC1 and FOXC2 transcription factors in lymphatic development and homeostasis, with broad implications for valve maturation, lymphangiogenesis, and organ regeneration.

More recently, his research has revealed how lymphangiocrine signaling promotes intestinal tissue repair and how FOXC1/FOXC2-dependent pathways drive vascular regeneration. His group has also extended these insights to ocular and cardiovascular diseases, including glaucoma and myxomatous mitral valve disease. As Guest Editor, Dr. Kume brings valuable expertise in lymphatic signaling and transcriptional regulation, bridging basic biology with translational insights into lymphatic dysfunction and human diseases.