Cellular Mechanisms that Drive Vision Loss in AMD

Aparna Lakkaraju, PhD

University of California, San Francisco

Research interest: Research in the Lakkaraju laboratory focuses on identifying cellular mechanisms that drive vision loss in inherited and age-related macular degenerations (AMD) with the goal of using this information to develop effective therapies. Dr. Lakkaraju's group studies the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which performs critical functions for vision and is a key site of injury in these diseases. Current areas of research focus include mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy in the RPE, mechanisms of inter-cellular communication in the retina, mechanisms of RPE dysfunction in disease (complement activation, drusen biogenesis, microglial activation), and identification and evaluation of novel therapeutic entities. Using multidisciplinary approaches, her team has identified clinically approved drugs that preserve RPE health and function and rescue visual deficits in preclinical models of macular degenerations.