Jeffrey Goldberg, M.D., Ph.D.

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami

Project: Research leading to the development of therapeutic tools for photoreceptor diseases
Summary: Retinal degenerations such as retinitis pigmentosa often end with the death of retinal neurons such as rod and cone photoreceptors. Although it may be possible to salvage these cells before they die, for the many patients who have lost these cells, we must figure out a way to replace them. Little is known about how to harvest retinal stem cells, how to direct them to the proper location in the retina, how to push them to differentiate into photoreceptors, and how to integrate them into the retina. Dr. Goldberg and his team are now attempting to address retinal degenerative disease by combining cell culture and nanotechnology to provide novel approaches to stem cell and cell replacement therapy. Dr. Goldberg’s hope with these experiments is to enhance the efficacy of stem cell and photoreceptor transplantation and integration into the retina, and thereby bring back vision in retinal degenerative diseases.