Using Genetics to Understand Retina Development

Year: 
2016

Project Description

Questions such as “what causes color blindness?”, “how does one cure Alzheimer’s disease?” or “why is my hair blonde?” might seem like three independent questions but one word can broadly answer them all: genetics.  Genetics is the study of genes, the units of DNA that tell a cell how to function.  Genes ultimately determine what characteristic traits an organism will express thereby acting as a template for making us who we are.  My research focuses on exploring various genes that control formation of the retina, the thin light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye.  Many of the genes that direct the formation the retina also guide formation of other tissues in body and brain; in addition, numerous diseases can be attributed to disrupted function of these same genes.  Understanding the mechanisms by which genes act in normal development is necessary for advancing therapeutics for diseases such as autism and glaucoma, as well as for understanding how the central nervous system forms.

In this project students will perform basic biological research in order to understand how the retina develops.  Our lab uses genetically modified mice to examine how specific genes contribute to various aspects of retinal development.  Specifically, students will learn the process by which retinas are extracted and dissected from these genetically modified mice.  They will then learn how to label specific cell types and visualize these cells on a fluorescent microscope.  Lastly, students will learn to quantify their findings and analyze their data.

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