Sean McCracken honored with 2024 NIH Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience Award

Sean McCracken

Sean McCracken, a Neuroscience PhD candidate in the William’s Lab, has been selected as an award recipient for the 2024 NIH Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience Award Program (OSNAP). This prestigious honor recognizes Sean’s exceptional research and scientific training, highlighting him as a rising star in the neuroscience community. About the OSNAP Award The Outstanding Scholars […]

WashU Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Receives Prestigious RPB Grant for Eye Research

We are delighted to announce that the Washington University Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences has been awarded a prestigious Unrestricted Grant from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB). This grant, amounting to $115,000 annually, will significantly bolster the department’s ongoing eye research efforts. Recognition of Excellence The Unrestricted Grant from RPB is a testament to […]

2nd Annual Winston Fellow Competition Winners

We are thrilled to announce the winners of Washington University John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (DOVS) 2nd Annual Winston Fellow Competition. This event showcased DOVS students and postdocs presenting their cutting-edge research, competing for the esteemed Winston Fellow Awards in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. About the Winston Fellow Awards The […]

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 […]

Advancing Retinal Disease Research: Dr. Chen’s New Project on hiPSC-induced Retinal Organoids

Shiming Chen, PhD

We’re thrilled to announce that Dr. Shiming Chen has been awarded a Seed grant from the Center of Regenerative Medicine for her groundbreaking project titled “hiPSC-induced retinal organoids modeling CRX-linked retinopathies.” This pioneering research aims to establish three-dimensional retinal organoids—essentially human retinas in a dish—to model inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) linked to the cone-rod-homeobox (CRX) […]

WashU Ophthalmology at ARVO 2024

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is at the forefront of advancing global research aimed at unraveling the complexities of the visual system and combatting its disorders. From May 5th to May 9th, visionaries and experts congregated in Seattle, Washington, for the ARVO 2024 Annual Meeting, a pivotal event showcasing the latest […]

Congrats, Matt Elitt, MD, PhD!

Matt Elitt and Paul Tesar

Congratulations to WashU Ophthalmology Resident, Matt Elitt, MD, PhD and Case Western Reserve’s Tesar Lab colleagues, on the advancement of ION356 to a phase I human clinical trial. Dr. Elitt’s doctoral research published in Nature demonstrated a novel method to pharmacologically target the pathology of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), representing the first potential treatment option for patients and […]

Natalia Morales, MD and Phillip Custer, MD, FACS Present at the Annual Cogan Society Meeting

In April, Natalia Morales, MD, our talented second-year resident, presented at the Cogan Ophthalmology Historical Society Annual Meeting held at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. Natalia’s research on the history of trachoma, a leading cause of blindness worldwide, formed the basis of her thought-provoking talk titled “The Influence of Trachoma on the Establishment of […]

Linking Cholesterol, NAD+ Depletion, and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Cholesterol Accumulation Promotes Photoreceptor Senescence and Retinal 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 […]

Recognizing Excellence in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Research: The Roger H. Johnson Award

Rajendra Apte, MD, PhD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a prevalent eye disease that affects millions of individuals aged 60 and older. Understanding the pathogenesis and developing effective treatments for this condition is crucial. In honor of Dr. Roger H. Johnson, an accomplished ophthalmologist and his dedication to advancing AMD research, the Roger H. Johnson Award was established. This […]

Congratulations, Dr. Margaret Reynolds!

Dr. Margaret M. Reynolds, a renowned researcher at Washington University, has recently been awarded an internal CTRFP grant titled “Phenotype After Refractive Surgery for Autism Spectrum Disorder.” This grant aims to support innovative research projects that can translate scientific discoveries into tangible improvements in human health. The grant, administered by the Institute of Clinical and […]

AMP Kinase Discovery in Photoreceptor Dysfunction by Tim Lee and Apte Lab

Catalytic isoforms of AMP-activated protein kinase differentially regulate IMPDH activity and photoreceptor neuron function

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 […]

Congratulations, Dr. Mitsukuni Yoshida!

Congratulations to Dr. Mitsukuni Yoshida from the Apte lab, who has been chosen by the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) as an Emerging-Generation (E-Gen) Awardee. The ASCI acknowledges post-MD, pre-faculty appointment physician-scientists actively involved in immersive research, providing them with access to the ASCI joint meeting and longitudinal programming over a 2-year period. Mitsu […]

Catalyst Award for Innovative Research Approaches for AMD

Rajendra Apte, MD, PhD

We are thrilled to announce that Rajendra Apte, MD, PhD has recently been awarded a $300,000 Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB)/American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF) Catalyst Award for Innovative Research Approaches for AMD. This prestigious award serves as a testament to Dr. Apte’s commitment to advancing knowledge in the field of ophthalmology, particularly in the […]

2023 VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation Research Award Recipient!

Mary-Grace Reeves, MD, MBA

In a momentous stride towards advancing our understanding of macular and retinal diseases, Dr. Mary-Grace Reeves, MD, MBA, has recently been honored as a recipient of the prestigious 2023 VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation Research Award. This recognition not only underscores her dedication to the field but also highlights the significance of her groundbreaking work in the […]

K08 Award Grant Recipient!

Dr. Walsh has received a K08 federal award for the grant titled ‘Antigen presentation to the adaptive immune system in the choroid contributes to ocular autoimmune disease’. Uveitis is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness, and while much work has gone into evaluating the effects of T cell-derived cytokines, there is a significant […]