Center for Advanced Vision Science: Recent Research
Dr. Gelfand
Bradley D. Gelfand, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Basic Science Research, recently described work from the Center for Advanced Vision Science spanning diabetic macular edema, Alzheimer’s disease risk, and age-related macular degeneration. Under the direction of Jayakrishna Ambati, MD, the center’s work is carried out across three labs.
A recent clinical trial from Dr. Ambati’s lab examined lamivudine in diabetic macular edema. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that oral lamivudine significantly improved vision in patients with the disease. Dr. Gelfand said the trial grew out of earlier laboratory work from the group.
Another study from Dr. Ambati’s lab extended into Alzheimer’s disease. The lab found that exposure to anti-retroviral drugs was associated with a reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. That reduction in risk was observed in two large, diverse health insurance databases after correcting for numerous comorbidities known to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease. For Dr. Gelfand, the Alzheimer’s study extends the work beyond ophthalmology.
In age-related macular degeneration, the Gelfand lab identified inflammasome signaling as a driver of pathological blood vessel growth in experimental models. In those models, inflammasome inhibitors, like anti-retroviral drugs, significantly blunted the growth of abnormal blood vessels.
Dr. Gelfand also described the training taking place in the Gelfand lab. Two PhD students recently completed dissertations focused on retinal angiogenesis: Dionne Argyle, PhD, and Ryan Makin, PhD. Dr. Argyle has moved to New York to begin a postdoctoral position, while Dr. Makin has remained in Charlottesville as a postdoctoral researcher in the Gelfand lab.
Recent work from Shao-Bin Wang, PhD, adds to the activity within the center. He recently published a systematic review examining gasdermin and neurodegeneration. He was also selected as an Associate Editor for the ophthalmology journal Eye Open and has begun an industrial collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim. Taken together, these updates show how the center’s work continues to move between laboratory discovery, clinical research, and scientific training.