University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The Grainger College of Engineering
Holonyak Micro & Nanotechnology Lab

Lawrence Schook

Lawrence Schook
Lawrence Schook
Professor
(217) 244-8480
1106 Micro & Nanotechnology Lab

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Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellowships, 1978-1981, Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Berne, Switzerland and University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor
  • Ph.D., 1978, Wayne State School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
  • B.A., 1972, Albion College, Michigan

Research Interests

  • Functional genomics with an emphasis on optimizing intestinal function to promote animal health and productivity. Our laboratory is focused on using comparative genomics to study animal health and development across species. Ongoing studies include a functional nutritional genomics project in collaboration with Professor George Fahey. This model is exploring the changes in gene expression during growth in young dogs compared to aged animals on different diets. These studies are designed to identify pathways that lead to wellness in aged animals and how through nutritional intervention diseases of aged animals can be avoided or ameliorated. Our efforts also address the interaction of animal health and nutrition. We are establishing in vitro gastrointestinal epithelial systems as technology platforms to study changes in gene expression during responses to pathogens. Finally, another major focus in our program is to develop animal models based on functional genomics to study mucosal development. In collaboration with Professor Rex Gaskins, of the Department of Animal Sciences, we are developing artificial intestinal crypts using microtechnolgy and laser capture micrscopy to explore gene expression of individual cells as they differentiate from the crypt stem cells. This will allow us to identify regulatory signals from nutritional sources and endogenous microbiota promoting epithelial differentiation.

Other Publications

  • Paszek, A.A., P.J. Wilkie, G.H. Flickinger, G.A. Rohrer, L.J. Alexander, C.W. Beattie, and L.B. Schook. (2002) Mapping carcass composition and meat quality traits in swine. Animal Biotech. 12:155-166.
  • Gellin, J., S. Brown, J. Graves, M. Rothschild, L. Schook, J. Womack, and M. Yerle. (2000) Comparative gene mapping workshop: progress in agriculturally important animals. Mammal. Gen. 11:140-144.
  • Paszek, A.A., P.J. Wilkie, G.H. Flickinger, G.A. Rohrer, L.J. Alexander, C.W. Beattie, and L.B. Schook. (1999) Interval mapping of growth in divergent swine cross. Mammal. Gen. 10:117-122.
  • Tumbleson, M. and L.B. Schook (Eds). (1996) Swine in Biomedical Research. Plenum Publishing, New York, NY. Volume 1 and Volume 2, pp. 904.