View Annual Report - Jules Stein Eye Institute

70 Faculty
PROFessIONaL ReseaRch seRIes
Novruz ahmedli, PhD
Associate Research Ophthalmologist
ReseaRch summaRy
Studies on Müller Cells
Zbed4 is a multifunctional protein that plays a key role
in the cells where it is expressed. Dr. Ahmedli’s results
indicate that this important protein appears early in
embryonic life and while in mouse retina it is detected
only in Müller cells, in humans it is expressed in cones
and Müller cells. In addition, he has found that the length
and shape of Müller cell processes depend on the levels
of Zbed4. Dr. Ahmedli’s work aims to identify the pathway,
which is essential for proper functioning of Zbed4
in Müller cells.
christian altenbach, PhD
Research Ophthalmologist
ReseaRch summaRy
Structure and Function of Rhodopsin
The membrane protein rhodopsin is a critical first step
in visual transduction, converting light energy into a
chemical form in the photoreceptor cell of the eye. To
understand this process on a detailed molecular level,
Dr. Altenbach is using site-directed spin labeling and
electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to study
the structure of rhodopsin in the absence of light, as
well as the changes in structure caused by light.
Barry L. Burgess, Bs
Research Specialist IV
ReseaRch summaRy
Ocular Melanoma Molecular Genetics
Mr. Burgess provides research support for the
Ophthalmic Oncology Center under the direction of
Tara A. McCannel, MD, PhD. His research interests
include investigation of cytogenetic abnormalities of
ocular melanoma and gene discovery for the metastatic
form of this cancer. He has developed highly characterized
cell lines from both primary ocular melanomas and
metastatic lesions to complement the Center’s study
of biopsy material. His research goals are to identify
biochemical pathways that lead to a metastatic outcome
and to find targets for therapeutic intervention
that may preempt the progression of metastatic disease.
Rajendra Gangalum, PhD
Assistant Research Specialist II
ReseaRch summaRy
Function and Regulation of
Small Heat Shock Protein αB-crystallin
in Health and Disease
Dr. Gangalum’s research seeks to gain understanding
of the physiological function of αB-crystallin in the
developing ocular lens and nonocular tissues.
αB-crystallin has been shown to associate with pathologies
such as cataracts, cancer, age-related macular
degeneration (AMD), and other neurodegenerative dis-
eases. Dr. Gangalum has discovered that αB-crystallin
is a Golgi-associated membrane protein, secreted into
extracellular medium via exosomes from retinal pigment
epithelial cells. These findings explain how αB-crystallin
is detected in the protein-lipid deposits know as drusen
in AMD. Dr. Gangalum has generated the transgenic
mice model of childhood cataract to study the molec-
ular basis of its pathology. Cataracts in infants are
debilitating, because opacities in the lens hinder the
transmission of light to the retina, which impairs the
development of visual cortex in the brain. This model
system is the only paradigm available for future investigations
on early childhood cataracts.
yekaterina Gribanova, mD
Assistant Research Specialist III
ReseaRch summaRy
Characterization of Novel
Retinal Protein 7R
A novel retinal protein, 7R, has been linked to autosomal
recessive retinitis pigmentosa, a disease leading
to incurable blindness. Dr. Gribanova is using
immunohistochemical analysis, in situ proximity ligation
assay, co-immunoprecipitation, immunoelectron cryomicroscopy,
and gradient flotation fractionation combined
with solid-phase immunoadsorption to determine
and characterize 7R function in photoreceptor cells.
These methods will identify 7R’s interacting partners
and indicate whether 7R is contributing to the sorting
and transport of phototransduction proteins to the outer
segment of photoreceptor cells.