Thomas Lang, PhD

Associate Dean
Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
+1 415 476-1323

Thomas F. Lang, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco, where he has been a faculty member since 1994. Dr. Lang obtained his BA in Chemistry at the University of Chicago in 1983, and completed his PhD in Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley in 1990, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in Radiology Imaging at UCSF in 1992. Over the course of his 27 year career at UCSF, Dr Lang has served the University in multiple areas in addition to his role in Radiology, including as Chair of the Conflict of Interest Committee since 2010 and as Associate Dean for Research and Presidential Professor in the School of Dentistry between 2015-2020. Dr Lang has served in leadership roles outside of UCSF including as a member of the NIH Skeletal Biology and Regeneration Study Section, Musculoskeletal Alterations Team Lead at the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Associate Editor of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research and as an Editorial Board Member of the FASEB Journal.

The focus of Dr Lang's Research is focused on development and application of quantitative analytic methods centered on bettering our understanding of two major chronic problems that affect the growing elderly population: osteoporosis, a main cause of age-related fractures, and sarcopenia, a loss of skeletal muscle strength, endurance and function. The aim of this research is to characterize skeletal density, geometry and indices of strength from volumetric CT scans of the hip and spine, as well as similar imaging based methods to quantify skeletal muscle anatomy and function. With the growth of his research group, Dr. Lang and his group have carried out a robust program in methods development, integrating density and structured analysis with serial image registration to improve sensitivity for detecting changes in longitudinal measures, and finite element modeling in order to understand how density and structure measures of bones are related to bone strength, stiffness, and fractures.

Interests: Osteoporosis, computed tomography, bone mineral density measurements, CT and PET/CT imaging in the study of the human biology of the musculoskeletal system, bone aging

Publications

Flickering gamma-ray flashes, the missing link between gamma glows and TGFs.

Nature

Østgaard N, Mezentsev A, Marisaldi M, Grove JE, Quick M, Christian H, Cummer S, Pazos M, Pu Y, Stanley M, Sarria D, Lang T, Schultz C, Blakeslee R, Adams I, Kroodsma R, Heymsfield G, Lehtinen N, Ullaland K, Yang S, Qureshi BH, Søndergaard J, Husa B, Walker D, Shy D, Bateman M, Bitzer P, Fullekrug M, Cohen M, Montanya J, Younes C, van der Velde O, Krehbiel P, Roncancio JA, Lopez JA, Urbani M, Santos A, Mach D

Highly dynamic gamma-ray emissions are common in tropical thunderclouds.

Nature

Marisaldi M, Østgaard N, Mezentsev A, Lang T, Grove JE, Shy D, Heymsfield GM, Krehbiel P, Thomas RJ, Stanley M, Sarria D, Schultz C, Blakeslee R, Quick MG, Christian H, Adams I, Kroodsma R, Lehtinen N, Ullaland K, Yang S, Qureshi BH, Søndergaard J, Husa B, Walker D, Bateman M, Mach D, Cummer S, Pazos M, Pu Y, Bitzer P, Fullekrug M, Cohen M, Montanya J, Younes C, van der Velde O, Roncancio JA, Lopez JA, Urbani M, Santos A

Greater Bone Marrow Adiposity Predicts Bone Loss in Older Women.

Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

Woods GN, Ewing SK, Sigurdsson S, Kado DM, Eiriksdottir G, Gudnason V, Hue TF, Lang TF, Vittinghoff E, Harris TB, Rosen C, Xu K, Li X, Schwartz AV

Disentangling the genetics of lean mass.

The American journal of clinical nutrition

Karasik D, Zillikens MC, Hsu YH, Aghdassi A, Akesson K, Amin N, Barroso I, Bennett DA, Bertram L, Bochud M, Borecki IB, Broer L, Buchman AS, Byberg L, Campbell H, Campos-Obando N, Cauley JA, Cawthon PM, Chambers JC, Chen Z, Cho NH, Choi HJ, Chou WC, Cummings SR, de Groot LCPGM, De Jager PL, Demuth I, Diatchenko L, Econs MJ, Eiriksdottir G, Enneman AW, Eriksson J, Eriksson JG, Estrada K, Evans DS, Feitosa MF, Fu M, Gieger C, Grallert H, Gudnason V, Lenore LJ, Hayward C, Hofman A, Homuth G, Huffman KM, Husted LB, Illig T, Ingelsson E, Ittermann T, Jansson JO, Johnson T, Biffar R, Jordan JM, Jula A, Karlsson M, Khaw KT, Kilpeläinen TO, Klopp N, Kloth JSL, Koller DL, Kooner JS, Kraus WE, Kritchevsky S, Kutalik Z, Kuulasmaa T, Kuusisto J, Laakso M, Lahti J, Lang T, Langdahl BL, Lerch MM, Lewis JR, Lill C, Lind L, Lindgren C, Liu Y, Livshits G, Ljunggren Ö, Loos RJF, Lorentzon M, Luan J, Luben RN, Malkin I, McGuigan FE, Medina-Gomez C, Meitinger T, Melhus H, Mellström D, Michaëlsson K, Mitchell BD, Morris AP, Mosekilde L, Nethander M, Newman AB, O'Connell JR, Oostra BA, Orwoll ES, Palotie A, Peacock M, Perola M, Peters A, Prince RL, Psaty BM, Räikkönen K, Ralston SH, Ripatti S, Rivadeneira F, Robbins JA, Rotter JI, Rudan I, Salomaa V, Satterfield S, Schipf S, Shin CS, Smith AV, Smith SB, Soranzo N, Spector TD, Stancáková A, Stefansson K, Steinhagen-Thiessen E, Stolk L, Streeten EA, Styrkarsdottir U, Swart KMA, Thompson P, Thomson CA, Thorleifsson G, Thorsteinsdottir U, Tikkanen E, Tranah GJ, Uitterlinden AG, van Duijn CM, van Schoor NM, Vandenput L, Vollenweider P, Völzke H, Wactawski-Wende J, Walker M, J Wareham N, Waterworth D, Weedon MN, Wichmann HE, Widen E, Williams FMK, Wilson JF, Wright NC, Yerges-Armstrong LM, Yu L, Zhang W, Zhao JH, Zhou Y, Nielson CM, Harris TB, Demissie S, Kiel DP, Ohlsson C

Erratum: Large meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identifies five loci for lean body mass.

Nature communications

Zillikens MC, Demissie S, Hsu YH, Yerges-Armstrong LM, Chou WC, Stolk L, Livshits G, Broer L, Johnson T, Koller DL, Kutalik Z, Luan J, Malkin I, Ried JS, Smith AV, Thorleifsson G, Vandenput L, Hua Zhao J, Zhang W, Aghdassi A, Åkesson K, Amin N, Baier LJ, Barroso I, Bennett DA, Bertram L, Biffar R, Bochud M, Boehnke M, Borecki IB, Buchman AS, Byberg L, Campbell H, Campos Obanda N, Cauley JA, Cawthon PM, Cederberg H, Chen Z, Cho NH, Jin Choi H, Claussnitzer M, Collins F, Cummings SR, De Jager PL, Demuth I, Dhonukshe-Rutten RAM, Diatchenko L, Eiriksdottir G, Enneman AW, Erdos M, Eriksson JG, Eriksson J, Estrada K, Evans DS, Feitosa MF, Fu M, Garcia M, Gieger C, Girke T, Glazer NL, Grallert H, Grewal J, Han BG, Hanson RL, Hayward C, Hofman A, Hoffman EP, Homuth G, Hsueh WC, Hubal MJ, Hubbard A, Huffman KM, Husted LB, Illig T, Ingelsson E, Ittermann T, Jansson JO, Jordan JM, Jula A, Karlsson M, Khaw KT, Kilpeläinen TO, Klopp N, Kloth JSL, Koistinen HA, Kraus WE, Kritchevsky S, Kuulasmaa T, Kuusisto J, Laakso M, Lahti J, Lang T, Langdahl BL, Launer LJ, Lee JY, Lerch MM, Lewis JR, Lind L, Lindgren C, Liu Y, Liu T, Liu Y, Ljunggren Ö, Lorentzon M, Luben RN, Maixner W, McGuigan FE, Medina-Gomez C, Meitinger T, Melhus H, Mellström D, Melov S, Michaëlsson K, Mitchell BD, Morris AP, Mosekilde L, Newman A, Nielson CM, O'Connell JR, Oostra BA, Orwoll ES, Palotie A, Parker SCJ, Peacock M, Perola M, Peters A, Polasek O, Prince RL, Räikkönen K, Ralston SH, Ripatti S, Robbins JA, Rotter JI, Rudan I, Salomaa V, Satterfield S, Schadt EE, Schipf S, Scott L, Sehmi J, Shen J, Soo Shin C, Sigurdsson G, Smith S, Soranzo N, Stancáková A, Steinhagen-Thiessen E, Streeten EA, Styrkarsdottir U, Swart KMA, Tan ST, Tarnopolsky MA, Thompson P, Thomson CA, Thorsteinsdottir U, Tikkanen E, Tranah GJ, Tuomilehto J, van Schoor NM, Verma A, Vollenweider P, Völzke H, Wactawski-Wende J, Walker M, Weedon MN, Welch R, Wichmann HE, Widen E, Williams FMK, Wilson JF, Wright NC, Xie W, Yu L, Zhou Y, Chambers JC, Döring A, van Duijn CM, Econs MJ, Gudnason V, Kooner JS, Psaty BM, Spector TD, Stefansson K, Rivadeneira F, Uitterlinden AG, Wareham NJ, Ossowski V, Waterworth D, Loos RJF, Karasik D, Harris TB, Ohlsson C, Kiel DP

Large meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identifies five loci for lean body mass.

Nature communications

Zillikens MC, Demissie S, Hsu YH, Yerges-Armstrong LM, Chou WC, Stolk L, Livshits G, Broer L, Johnson T, Koller DL, Kutalik Z, Luan J, Malkin I, Ried JS, Smith AV, Thorleifsson G, Vandenput L, Hua Zhao J, Zhang W, Aghdassi A, Åkesson K, Amin N, Baier LJ, Barroso I, Bennett DA, Bertram L, Biffar R, Bochud M, Boehnke M, Borecki IB, Buchman AS, Byberg L, Campbell H, Campos Obanda N, Cauley JA, Cawthon PM, Cederberg H, Chen Z, Cho NH, Jin Choi H, Claussnitzer M, Collins F, Cummings SR, De Jager PL, Demuth I, Dhonukshe-Rutten RAM, Diatchenko L, Eiriksdottir G, Enneman AW, Erdos M, Eriksson JG, Eriksson J, Estrada K, Evans DS, Feitosa MF, Fu M, Garcia M, Gieger C, Girke T, Glazer NL, Grallert H, Grewal J, Han BG, Hanson RL, Hayward C, Hofman A, Hoffman EP, Homuth G, Hsueh WC, Hubal MJ, Hubbard A, Huffman KM, Husted LB, Illig T, Ingelsson E, Ittermann T, Jansson JO, Jordan JM, Jula A, Karlsson M, Khaw KT, Kilpeläinen TO, Klopp N, Kloth JSL, Koistinen HA, Kraus WE, Kritchevsky S, Kuulasmaa T, Kuusisto J, Laakso M, Lahti J, Lang T, Langdahl BL, Launer LJ, Lee JY, Lerch MM, Lewis JR, Lind L, Lindgren C, Liu Y, Liu T, Liu Y, Ljunggren Ö, Lorentzon M, Luben RN, Maixner W, McGuigan FE, Medina-Gomez C, Meitinger T, Melhus H, Mellström D, Melov S, Michaëlsson K, Mitchell BD, Morris AP, Mosekilde L, Newman A, Nielson CM, O'Connell JR, Oostra BA, Orwoll ES, Palotie A, Parker SCJ, Peacock M, Perola M, Peters A, Polasek O, Prince RL, Räikkönen K, Ralston SH, Ripatti S, Robbins JA, Rotter JI, Rudan I, Salomaa V, Satterfield S, Schadt EE, Schipf S, Scott L, Sehmi J, Shen J, Soo Shin C, Sigurdsson G, Smith S, Soranzo N, Stancáková A, Steinhagen-Thiessen E, Streeten EA, Styrkarsdottir U, Swart KMA, Tan ST, Tarnopolsky MA, Thompson P, Thomson CA, Thorsteinsdottir U, Tikkanen E, Tranah GJ, Tuomilehto J, van Schoor NM, Verma A, Vollenweider P, Völzke H, Wactawski-Wende J, Walker M, Weedon MN, Welch R, Wichmann HE, Widen E, Williams FMK, Wilson JF, Wright NC, Xie W, Yu L, Zhou Y, Chambers JC, Döring A, van Duijn CM, Econs MJ, Gudnason V, Kooner JS, Psaty BM, Spector TD, Stefansson K, Rivadeneira F, Uitterlinden AG, Wareham NJ, Ossowski V, Waterworth D, Loos RJF, Karasik D, Harris TB, Ohlsson C, Kiel DP

Novel Genetic Variants Associated With Increased Vertebral Volumetric BMD, Reduced Vertebral Fracture Risk, and Increased Expression of SLC1A3 and EPHB2.

Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

Nielson CM, Liu CT, Smith AV, Ackert-Bicknell CL, Reppe S, Jakobsdottir J, Wassel C, Register TC, Oei L, Alonso N, Oei EH, Parimi N, Samelson EJ, Nalls MA, Zmuda J, Lang T, Bouxsein M, Latourelle J, Claussnitzer M, Siggeirsdottir K, Srikanth P, Lorentzen E, Vandenput L, Langefeld C, Raffield L, Terry G, Cox AJ, Allison MA, Criqui MH, Bowden D, Ikram MA, Mellström D, Karlsson MK, Carr J, Budoff M, Phillips C, Cupples LA, Chou WC, Myers RH, Ralston SH, Gautvik KM, Cawthon PM, Cummings S, Karasik D, Rivadeneira F, Gudnason V, Orwoll ES, Harris TB, Ohlsson C, Kiel DP, Hsu YH

Operator variability in scan positioning is a major component of HR-pQCT precision error and is reduced by standardized training.

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA

Bonaretti S, Vilayphiou N, Chan CM, Yu A, Nishiyama K, Liu D, Boutroy S, Ghasem-Zadeh A, Boyd SK, Chapurlat R, McKay H, Shane E, Bouxsein ML, Black DM, Majumdar S, Orwoll ES, Lang TF, Khosla S, Burghardt AJ

Adipose tissue density, a novel biomarker predicting mortality risk in older adults.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences

Murphy RA, Register TC, Shively CA, Carr JJ, Ge Y, Heilbrun ME, Cummings SR, Koster A, Nevitt MC, Satterfield S, Tylvasky FA, Strotmeyer ES, Newman AB, Simonsick EM, Scherzinger A, Goodpaster BH, Launer LJ, Eiriksdottir G, Sigurdsson S, Sigurdsson G, Gudnason V, Lang TF, Kritchevsky SB, Harris TB

Journal of Molecular Imaging and Dynamics

Quantification of changes in skeletal muscle amino acid kinetics in adult humans in response to exercise via positron-emission tomography with L-[methyl-11C]methionine

R. Harnish, T. Streeper, I. Saeed, C. Schreck, S. Dannoon, J. Slater, J. Blecha, H. VanBrocklin, M. Hernandez-Pampaloni, R. Hawkins, Y. Seo, G. Sayre and T. Lang

Acta Astronauta

Development of an integrated countermeasure device for use in long-duration spaceflight

Streeper T, Cavanagh TR, Hanson AM, Carpenter RD,Saeed I, Kornak J, Frassetto L, Grodsinsky C, Funk J, Lee SMC, Spiering BA, Bloomberg J, Mulavara A, Sibonga J, Lang T

Genetic analysis of vertebral trabecular bone density and cross-sectional area in older men.

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA

Zmuda JM, Yerges-Armstrong LM, Moffett SP, Klei L, Kammerer CM, Roeder K, Cauley JA, Kuipers A, Ensrud KE, Nestlerode CS, Hoffman AR, Lewis CE, Lang TF, Barrett-Connor E, Ferrell RE, Orwoll ES, Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study Group

Effect of once-yearly zoledronic acid on the spine and hip as measured by quantitative computed tomography: results of the HORIZON Pivotal Fracture Trial.

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA

Eastell R, Lang T, Boonen S, Cummings S, Delmas PD, Cauley JA, Horowitz Z, Kerzberg E, Bianchi G, Kendler D, Leung P, Man Z, Mesenbrink P, Eriksen EF, Black DM, HORIZON Pivotal Fracture Trial

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