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May 14, 2025 | UCI School of Medicine
Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD, Awarded Grant from BrightFocus Foundation’s National Glaucoma Research Program
BrightFocus Foundation’s National Glaucoma Research program has awarded a two-year, $182,000 research grant to Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD, an associate professor of physiology & biophysics and ophthalmology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, to investigate the cumulative role of repeated intraocular pressure elevations in epigenetic reprogramming and aging.
Dec 03, 2024 | UCI News
UC Irvine-co-led study finds DNA damage is key factor in age-related macular degeneration
Targeting specific retinal cell types could lead to treatments that slow or stop progression
May 13, 2024 | UCI Beall Applied Innovation
Henry Klassen, M.D., Ph.D. Awarded Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year
Henry Klassen, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Stem Cell & Retinal Regeneration, UCI School of Medicine, wins the Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year. UCI Beall Applied Innovation, with generous support from Don and Ken Beall, created the annual UCI Innovator Awards to recognize UCI researchers working actively to promote commercialization of university intellectual property, which supports industry growth and moves inventions from the lab to market to benefit humankind.
Matt Miller Director mrmille2@uci.edu
Michelle Heath Manager mstrombe@hs.uci.edu
Shani Murray Senior Science Writer shanim@hs.uci.edu
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The Gavin Herbert Eye Institute is already one of the busiest clinical spaces at UCI Health. Its director, Dr. Baruch Kuppermann, sees more growth ahead to meet the increased need for specialized vision care.
More than 5 million people worldwide have inherited retinal diseases that can lead to significant vision loss or blindness. Great strides have been made to identify the genetic mutations responsible for many of these conditions, but for about 25% of the disorders, the cause remains a mystery — one that molecular geneticist Rui Chen, PhD, aims to solve.
Biochemist Audrey Lapinaite, PhD, has trained at some of the world’s most prestigious laboratories and with a Nobel laureate. The new assistant professor of ophthalmology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine aims to use that training to help develop breakthrough gene-editing treatments for patients with vision loss.
Apr 10, 2025 | The Scientist
A Vision of the Future: Restoring Eyesight via Transplantation
The Scientist discusses groundbreaking research led by Dr. Magdalene Seiler at the University of California, Irvine, focusing on restoring vision through the transplantation of retinal organoid sheets. These sheets, derived from human stem cells, are designed to replace damaged photoreceptors in patients suffering from retinal degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration. By transplanting organized sheets rather than dissociated cells, the approach aims to maintain the complex architecture of the retina, facilitating better integration and potential restoration of vision.
Apr 09, 2025 | American Optometric Association
UCI Optometrist wins 2025 Young Optometrist of the Year
Annabelle Storch, O.D. was named the 2025 Young Optometrist of the Year by The American Optometric Association. Currently, she serves at UCI Health's Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, where she provides comprehensive eye care, specializing in cornea, cataract, refractive services, uveitis, and pediatric optometry. Her experience also includes working with children across Orange County and aboard a mobile eye clinic to expand access to essential vision care.