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Ruchira Singh, PhD, Appears on the People Behind the Science Podcast

Monday, October 21, 2024

Singh, discussed her life, her work, what interests her about science and research and much more!

View the Podcast

New Research Offers Hope for Preventing Age-Related Blindness

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Dr. Singh photoAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the United States. Despite existing treatments, the underlying causes of this disease and effective therapies remain elusive. New research published in the journal Developmental Cell provides important insights into the cellular mechanisms behind AMD and offers potential avenues for new treatments.

"Current treatments for AMD have limited efficacy and often come with significant side effects," said Ruchira Singh, PhD, with the University of Rochester Flaum Eye Institute and Center for Visual Sciences, and lead author of the study. "Our research aims to identify novel therapeutic targets that could potentially halt the progression of this disease."

The study utilized human stem cells to model AMD, overcoming the limitations of previous research using animal models. By examining genes associated with both AMD and rarer inherited forms of blindness called macular dystrophies, the researchers identified a key protein involved in the early stages of the disease.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a layer of cells at the back of the eye, plays a crucial role in AMD. Over time, deposits of lipids and proteins, known as drusen, accumulate in the RPE. These deposits are often an early indicator of AMD.

Read More: New Research Offers Hope for Preventing Age-Related Blindness

Susana Marcos and team recognized by Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Dr. Marcos receiving the awardSusana Marcos, the David R. Williams Director of the Center for Visual Science, the Nicholas George Professor in Optics, and a professor of ophthalmology at Rochester, was recognized for her work on a study in the Journal of Cataracts & Refractive Surgery (JCRS). Marcos and her fellow authors received the JCRS 2023 Mamalis Award.

The annual award is presented to the best laboratory science article published in the publication in the year, as voted on by the journal’s editors. The authors were recognized at the 2024 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Meeting in Boston.

Dr. Krystel Huxlin Among SMD 2023 Mentoring Awards Winners

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Trainee Academic Mentoring Award in Basic Science

Krystel R. Huxlin
Huxlin’s mentoring efforts focus on past trainees’ observation on her mentoring style and results, depicting the Meliora spirit.

One trainee states, “Krystel has been a singular force in my life, and the greatest mentor I could have hoped for when I launched my academic career. After over a decade working with Krystel as a trainee in her lab, I have found her mentoring skills, her capacity for empathy, and her selfless promotion of her trainees has only grown. Without question, my scientific career would not exist without her guidance”.