Neurodegenerative Events in the Eye and Brain

Theme 3

Development of cutting-edge imaging devices to diagnose eye diseases and identify ocular biomarkers to diagnose brain diseases.

Ophthalmic imaging of the retina is in its “golden era”. Retinal tissues have a myriad of textural/contrast features that can be visualized and captured under different lighting and contrast settings. Today, in vivo imaging of the retina in animal models can identify dying retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma or in Alzheimer’s. Engineering and animal model experts will work side- by-side to identify relevant textural and contrast signatures that represent eye and/or brain diseases.

Chair

Myeong Jin Ju

Principal Investigators

Lauren Ayton, Hye Jin Chung, Cheryl Gregory-Evans, Myeong Jin Ju, Geoffrey Law, Blair Leavitt, Da Ma, Zaid Mammo, Joanne Matsubara, Orson Moritz, Ipek Oruç, Jacqueline Quandt, Shuo Tang

Publications and Articles
Publication Journal or Publisher Publication Date
Polarization-diversity OCT features of optic disc melanocytomas: a case series Can J Ophthalmol. 2026 Aug 29 (online ahead of print).
Emerging roles of granzymes in neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation: mechanistic insights and therapeutic opportunities Acta Neuropathol. 2026 Aug 18
Zebrin II Expression in the Cerebellum of a Passerine Bird Species: Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia castanotis) Brain Behav Evol. 2026
The Hourglass Sign on OCT in Soccer-Related Blunt Ocular Trauma Vitreoretin Dis. 2026 May 19 (online ahead of print)
Oral splicing modulator branaplam in Huntington's disease: a phase 2 randomized controlled trial (VIBRANT-HD) Nat Med. 2026
RPE65 knockout Xenopus laevis have a compromised but detectable electroretinogram and altered visual responses, without retinal degeneration or altered melanophore dispersion Exp Eye Res. 2026
Decoding amyloid beta clearance systems at inner blood–retina barrier using three-dimensional ex vivo retinal imaging in Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's & Dementia
Evidence for impaired clearance leading to amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation in the Alzheimer's eye Alzheimer's & Dementia
Impaired Aβ Clearance Mechanisms at the Inner Blood-Retina Barrier in Alzheimer's Disease: Insights from Ex Vivo Retinal Imaging Alzheimer's & Dementia
In vivo multi-contrast depth-resolved choroidal imaging of a mouse using polarization-diversity optical coherence tomography Optics Letters

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