Dr. Timothy Hla's laboratory has been investigating the role of lipid mediators, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and prostanoids in vascular biology and disease. In the 1990s, we cloned the inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and the first S1P receptor. Our work defined how the COX-2 pathway regulated angiogenesis, cancer and inflammatory disease. Recently, we are examining molecular mechanisms by which prostanoids interact with other lipid signaling systems to protect the vascular system and maintain health. Secondly, since our discovery of the S1P receptor we have been working on this novel signaling pathway to understand how it regulates vascular development and homeostasis and is dysregulated in vascular diseases. In addition, our work contributed to the development of S1P receptor inhibitors, which are being tested and used for treatment of a number of autoimmune diseases.