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Abstract
The discovery of vascular endothelial-derived growth factor (VEGF) has revolutionized
our understanding of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during development and physiological
homeostasis. Over a short span of two decades, our understanding of the molecular
mechanisms by which VEGF coordinates neurovascular homeostasis has become more sophisticated.
The central role of VEGF in the pathogenesis of diverse cancers and blinding eye diseases
has also become evident. Elucidation of the molecular regulation of VEGF and the transformative
development of multiple therapeutic pathways targeting VEGF directly or indirectly
is a powerful case study of how fundamental research can guide innovation and translation.
It is also an elegant example of how agnostic discovery and can transform our understanding
of human disease. This review will highlight critical nodal points in VEGF biology
including recent developments in immunotherapy for cancer and multi-target approaches
in neovascular eye disease.