Vision and Retinal Diseases

At the basic end of the spectrum (pun intended), Dr. Patrick Emery studies the mechanisms by which fruit fly circadian rhythms are synchronized to environmental rhythmicity, including daily rhythms of light and temperature. Emery also studies mechanisms of circadian rhythm generation in flies, while Dr. David Weaver studies circadian rhythms in mice, focusing on the impact of lighting cycles that disrupt circadian rhythms on physiological and disease.  

Dr. Claudio Punzo studies mechanisms leading to loss of vision in animal models.  Punzo’s focus is on age-related macular degeneration, defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which rods and cones affect degeneration in the retina, and the use of gene therapy in the retina.