Zsolt Urban

Zsolt Urban, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. His research focuses on the genetic causes of rare, inherited connective tissue and cardiopulmonary disorders, with particular interest in cutis laxa, supravalvular aortic stenosis, Williams-Beuren syndrome, and arterial tortuosity syndrome. His work helps with the diagnosis, management, and counseling of affected individuals and families.

Dr. Urban received his MS in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of Szeged in Hungary (1992), followed by a PhD in Biology from Semmelweis University in Budapest (1997). He completed postdoctoral training in Molecular Genetics at the University of Hawaii (2001).

His research program employs human cells, tissues, zebrafish, and mouse models to understand the molecular, cellular, and developmental mechanisms connecting DNA variants to disease phenotypes. The laboratory develops freely available resources to educate professional and lay community members about rare diseases in their research portfolio. Dr. Urban's long-term goal is to develop targeted treatments for the diseases under investigation.

Analysis of Dr. Urban's publication record reveals a sustained focus on elastin biology, connective tissue disorders, and cardiovascular genetics. His work spans basic molecular mechanisms of elastic fiber formation to clinical applications for diagnosis and potential treatment strategies. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration across genetics, dermatology, cardiology, and pulmonary medicine.

Dr. Urban teaches several courses in the Human Genetics program including HUGEN 2038 Human Genetics Journal Club and Peer Review, HUGEN 2032 Genetic Techniques, HUGEN 2040 Molecular Basis of Human Inherited Disease, and HUGEN 3020 Doctoral Research and Professional Skills Development.

His laboratory maintains the Cutis Laxa Resource website (cutislaxa.pitt.edu), providing educational materials about rare connective tissue disorders. The research group collaborates with investigators to apply their expertise to diverse projects on obesity, renal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and infectious diseases.