Liu’s Lab
Yang Liu MD. PhD.
Lab Mission
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying retinal ganglion cell degeneration in ocular diseases. The ultimate goal of our laboratory is to develop novel therapeutic interventions to rescue retinal ganglion cells and promote neuronal regeneration.
Projects
- Mechanisms of neurodegeneration following optic nerve injury
Optic nerve injury induces apoptotic retinal ganglion cell death which mimics the pathology of glaucomatous neurodegeneration. New insights into pathogenic pathways involved in retinal ganglion cell degeneration will lead to the discovery and development of novel neuroprotective and regenerative strategies for treating retinal and central nervous system neurodegeneration.
- Establishing conditionally immortalized retinal cell lines
The progressive death of retinal ganglion cells is responsible for the glaucomatous loss of vision. Cultured retinal cells are commonly used to better understand the cell and molecular biology of these cell types and help dissect the pathogenic pathways associated with glaucoma. Immortalized cells lines will provide an unlimited and reproducible source of retinal cells that will be widely used in visual science research.
Recent publications
People
Graduate Student: Elliott Allums
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