Developing a high-throughput tool for identifying pharmacological agents to slow retinal degeneration
Name:
Prof. W. Clay Smith
Email
wcsmith@ufl.edu
Phone
(352) 273-8794
Faculty Department/Division
Ophthalmology
This project is primarily:
Translational
Research Project Description:
Vision loss due to inherited retinal disease is the single largest cause of blindness in working-age adults. Our lab has previously shown that we can use a viral-vectored gene therapy approach to enhance glycolysis in photoreceptors as a gene-agnostic tool for slowing vision loss. Another approach would be to use a pharmacologic agent to activate the same pathway. The aim of this project is to develop a diagnostic tool that is suitable for use in a high-throughput assay that could be then be used to screen a library of previously FDA-approved compounds to identify such a compound. The work will involve molecular cloning, protein-based assays, and cellular expression assays. No animal work will be required in this project.
Does this project have an international component or travel?
No