November is Diabetic Retinopathy Awareness Month, a time to shed light on a condition that remains a significant cause of blindness among adults. Affecting millions of people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy develops when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the retina. At WashU Medicine, researchers are leading […]
Category: Research Publications
WashU Ophthalmologists Receive 2024 ASOPRS Research Award
St. Louis, MO – October 18, 2024 – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis’ Drs. Custer and Maamari have been awarded the 2024 American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) Research Award for their groundbreaking paper titled “The Hatchet Flap for Eyelid and Midfacial Reconstruction: Experience from 70 Cases.” The paper, […]
New Research Uncovers the Role of Cholesterol Accumulation in Retinal Degeneration
We’re excited to highlight a significant publication from two of our esteemed colleagues: Dr. Ryo Terao, a former postdoctoral researcher now on the faculty at the University of Tokyo, and Dr. Mitsu Yoshida, an ASAP fellow in Anesthesiology currently working in the Apte Lab. Along with their co-authors, they have just published research titled “Cholesterol […]
Repurposed drug may help stabilize vision in rare disease (Links to an external site)
Ophthalmologist Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, (right), of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, examines patient Patricia Collins (left) while medical student Wilson Wang observes. Collins is a participant in a clinical trial that tests the safety and efficacy of an FDA-approved drug in stabilizing vision in patients with RVCL-S, a rare genetic […]
Yoshimatsu Receives Seed Grant from Brain Research Foundation
Dr. Takeshi Yoshimatsu Receives Brain Research Foundation Seed Grant for Groundbreaking Zebrafish Study on Visual Attention St. Louis, MO — June 6, 2024 — Takeshi Yoshimatsu,PhD, an Assistant Professor in the John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (WashU Medicine) has been awarded […]
Medical Student Wilson Wang and Resident Maggie Xing Publish Key Article on Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy in JAMA Ophthalmology
Medical student Wilson Wang and resident physician Maggie Xing, MD, have made significant contributions to the field of ophthalmology with their recent publication in JAMA Ophthalmology “Interventions for Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy,” co-authored with renowned expert Raj Apte, MD, PhD. Their article provides a comprehensive clinical synopsis and educational review of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), a serious complication […]
Exploring Retinal Biomarkers in Huntington Disease: A Groundbreaking Study
In a significant leap forward for neurodegenerative disease research, Retina fellow Aaditya Shah, MD has published an excellent study titled, “Dark Adaptometry and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Huntington Disease.” This pioneering research is among the first to indicate that retinal biomarkers may be present in patients with Huntington Disease (HD), offering a potentially transformative […]
New Insights into Racial Disparities in Glaucoma: The Role of SDPR Gene Expression in Black Individuals
We are excited to share a new article by Ying-Bo Shui, Ying Liu, Andrew J. W. Huang & Carla J. Siegfried, titled “SDPR Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork and Its Potential Role in Racial Disparities of Glaucoma,” has been published online in the journal Scientific Reports. This significant research highlights the molecular differences in gene […]
Linking Cholesterol, NAD+ Depletion, and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
We are thrilled to announce the publication of a groundbreaking study titled “LXR/CD38 Activation Drives Cholesterol-Induced Macrophage Senescence and Neurodegeneration via NAD+ Depletion“, authored by Ryo Terao, MD, PhD; Mitsukuni Yoshida, MD, PhD; Rajendra Apte, MD, PhD; and colleagues from the Apte Lab. In this study, our researchers unveil critical molecular mechanisms linking dysregulated cholesterol […]
Charles Pfeifer Wins the Prestigious 2024 Dr. Philip Needleman Pharmacology Award
We are thrilled to announce Charles Pfeifer as the distinguished recipient of the highly acclaimed 2024 Dr. Philip Needleman Pharmacology Award. This honor is bestowed upon a graduating student who has exhibited exceptional accomplishments in the field of Pharmacology. Founded in 1991 by Ms. Sima Needleman in tribute to her husband’s unwavering dedication to scholarship […]
Understanding Retinal Detachment: Insights from Dr. Rajendra S. Apte’s Recent Study
We are thrilled to share with you a remarkable article titled “Retinal Detachment: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options” co-authored by Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD. This enlightening study, published in the renowned journal Nature, explores the intricate details of retinal detachment, providing valuable insights into its causes, diagnosis methods, and available treatment options. In this […]
AMP Kinase Discovery in Photoreceptor Dysfunction by Tim Lee and Apte Lab
Graduate student Tim Lee from the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS), working in collaboration with the Apte Lab, has published a new paper revealing a significant discovery in the realm of photoreceptor dysfunction. The research, titled “Identification of IMPDH as a Therapeutically Modifiable Target of AMP Kinase in Rod Photoreceptors,” sheds light on […]
AMD Breakthrough: Uncovering Therapeutic Targets
Congratulations to MSTP Student Joseph Lin on Collaborative Breakthrough Publication in Cell Reports Medicine: Targeting cell-type-specific, choroid-peripheral immune signaling to treat age-related macular degeneration The Apte Lab is proud to announce the groundbreaking collaborative research publication by MSTP student Joseph Lin and the Ruzycki Lab. The study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, addresses age-related macular […]
Innovative Research Unveils Potential Breakthrough in Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment
Diabetic retinopathy, a major concern for individuals with diabetes, has long been associated with the risk of vision loss and blindness. This condition, driven in part by the actions of retinal immune cells known as microglia, takes a significant toll on those it affects. In a groundbreaking publication, Charles Pfeifer, PhD, from the laboratory of […]
Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study After 20 Years of Follow-up
Congratulations to Michael Kass, MD, Mae Gordon, PhD, and the Ocular Hypertension Study Group on their latest publication discussing their findings after 20 years of follow up! More than 20 years after the launch of a landmark clinical trial, follow-up examinations and analyses found that not all patients with elevated eye pressure need pressure-lowering treatment […]
Apte lab and Genetic Department publication
“SARM1 depletion rescues NMNAT1-dependent photoreceptor cell death and retinal degeneration” Congratulations to Dr. Rajendra Apte, his lab and the Genetics Department on their recent publication in eLife. Rajendra Apte, PhD and his lab with the help of Jeffrey Milbrandt, MD, PhD, Aaron DiAntonio, MD, PhD, Hiroki Kakita, MD, PhD and Yo Sasaki, PhD, from the […]
Nerve injury appears to be root of diabetes-related vision loss
Diabetes-related vision loss most often is blamed on blood vessel damage in and around the retina, but new research indicates that much of that vision loss may result from nerve cell injury that occurs long before any blood vessels are damaged. The finding — from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis — […]