Matthew D. Layne

Matthew D. Layne is an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Research Education at Boston University School of Medicine. His laboratory focuses on understanding the mechanisms of adipose tissue fibrosis and mechanotransduction pathways, with particular emphasis on the role of Aortic Carboxypeptidase-Like Protein (ACLP) in fibrotic processes.

Dr. Layne received his PhD from Boston University School of Medicine and completed postdoctoral training at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School. His educational background has prepared him for his current research focus on extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and assembly in relation to fibroproliferative and connective tissue diseases.

Dr. Layne's research primarily investigates pathways controlling ECM synthesis and assembly as they relate to fibroproliferative and connective tissue diseases. His laboratory aims to identify therapeutic strategies for conditions involving fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation and ECM remodeling, which are now recognized to play roles in organ fibrosis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic/obesity disorders, and cancer. Central to his studies is determining the function of ACLP, a secreted, collagen-binding protein that enhances fibrosis and myofibroblast differentiation through mechanisms involving TGFβ receptor signaling and mechanical signaling pathways. Recent work has uncovered the role of ACLP and AEBP1 genetic mutations in Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and aortic aneurysm.

Dr. Layne's publication record demonstrates consistent focus on adipose tissue biology, fibrosis mechanisms, and connective tissue disorders. His recent work has expanded into understanding how obesity-related conditions affect lymphatic function and how ACLP regulates vascular progenitor cell fate. The research shows progression from basic molecular mechanisms to translational applications, with increasing focus on therapeutic implications of his findings.

Dr. Layne actively mentors graduate students, MS/MAMS students, and undergraduates in his laboratory. Current laboratory members include PhD students Scott Connelly, Cheyanne Frosti, Alexander Tavares, and Diana Yeritsyan, along with undergraduate students Alexander Yurochko and Benjamin Werner, and MS student Loren Peretz. His lab offers research opportunities for graduate students through the Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS) at BUSM, as well as for BU MS/MAMS students and undergraduates.

Dr. Layne's laboratory maintains active research projects including: uncovering new mechanisms that control adipose tissue remodeling and fibrosis, defining the role of ACLP in mechanotransduction pathways that control progenitor cell fate, and investigating the mechanisms of how ACLP/AEBP1 mutations cause Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS).