JAX® ocular research produces eye-catching results
JAX® NOTES Issue 513, Spring 2009
The eyes have it. JAX professors Naggert, Nishina and John each contributed chapters to the new reference book on the mouse eye. Professor Nishina recently received a grant from the National Eye Institute to identify and study gene mutations associated with retinal diseases in mouse models, and Professor John recently received a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to develop wireless sensors for monitoring the intraocular pressure (IOP) of a mouse eye.
JAX scientists contribute to book on mouse eye
It's hard to imagine a 750+ page book written on the mouse eye, but that's exactly the subject matter of "Eye, retina and visual system of the mouse" (edited by Leo M. Chalupa and Robert W. Williams, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA) JAX scientists Simon John, Ph.D., Gareth Howell, Ph.D., Juergen Naggert, Ph.D., and Patsy Nishina, Ph.D., each contributed to the tome. John and Howell co-authored "Mouse models: a key system in revolutionizing the understanding of glaucoma", and Nishina and Naggert co-authored "Beyond positional cloning of single gene mutations: use of mouse models to examine allele variance and to identify genetic modifiers".
Dr. J. Anthony Movshon of New York University praises the book highly: "Twenty years ago, most visual neuroscientists studied cats or monkeys, and the idea of using the mouse for vision research was preposterous — everyone "knew" that mice could hardly see at all, so why would one bother? Now, the genetic revolution has utterly changed the landscape, and the growth of mouse vision research has been explosive. This comprehensive and well-produced volume collects our essential knowledge of mouse vision into a single extraordinarily useful volume. It will be the standard reference for years to come."
JAX Professor Nishina awarded $3 million grant
The National Eye Institute awarded Professor Patsy Nishina, Ph.D., a five-year grant of $3,032,659 to identify and study gene mutations associated with retinal diseases in mouse models. Dr. Nishina explains: "Knowing more about the genes and molecular pathways that are associated with retinal diseases may provide insights to new treatment regimens, and the models can then be used not only to identify the time frame in which treatment might be most effective but also a resource in which to test therapies. The eventual goal is to identify patients with the genetic variations that are associated with these diseases and then provide treatment early enough to prevent vision impairment and loss."
JAX glaucoma researcher presented HHMI Collaborative Innovation Award
JAX Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator, Simon John, Ph.D., one of the nation's leading researchers of glaucoma, has been awarded an HHMI Collaborative Innovation Award. The Innovation Awards are part of a new, $40 million HHMI initiative to spur scientists "to devote substantial time and energy to pursuing collaborative, transformative research" (Read the online article here).
Professor John will lead a team to develop wireless sensors for monitoring the intraocular pressure (IOP) of a mouse eye. Dr. Pedro Irazoqui and Dr. William Chappel, both engineers at Purdue University, are key team members. If successful, the sensors could have a wide range of applications in human medicine, particularly for monitoring and treating glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness affecting some 70 million people worldwide. Currently, one of the most common ways to treat glaucoma is to reduce harmfully high IOP, a major but little understood cause of the disease. The sensors that Professor John will help develop could be used to continually monitor IOP in glaucoma patients, thereby helping scientists better understand how IOP arises, leading to optic nerve damage.
Professor John is determined to to find a cure for glaucoma. He and his lab recently discovered that, inexplicably, a full-body radiation treatment prevents glaucoma from developing in some mice. "We're now working with a machine that lets us irradiate just the mouse eye, testing to see if you can stop glaucoma that way. It could hold potential for treating humans at risk for the disease, and it's very exciting... I get the most heartrending emails from mothers of children with glaucoma, asking for my help. I tell them I can't give medical advice, but it's hard. Connections like that remind you that people need hope. That keeps me working" (Read the JAX Press Release).
