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2018 - R01 Grant Funded
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 15, 2018) — Jakub Famulski, an assistant professor of
biology (https://bio.as.uky.edu/) in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and
Sciences (https://www.as.uky.edu/), has received a grant for over $1.8 million from the
National Institutes of Health to study the early formation of the anterior segment of the
eye. The research has the potential to lead to more treatment options for patients with
blinding disorders.
The Research Project Grant (R01), "Comprehensive analysis of periocular mesenchyme
composition, specification, and function during anterior segment formation," will be
funded by the National Eye Institute over the next five years. Famulski and his team will
study the anterior segment of the eye (which includes the cornea, iris, ciliary muscle,
drainage canals and pupil) which is critical for collecting and projecting light onto the
back of the eye. Deficiencies in these tissues are considered anterior segment dysgenesis
(ASD) blinding disorders, and the tissues are also a critical regulator of intraocular
pressure, a major indicator for glaucoma.
Famulski and his team will use the embryos of zebrafish to study the very early
development of these critical visual components.
"Zebrafish eyes follow a highly-conserved path of development with that of humans and
are an excellent system for studying early embryonic development of the visual system,"
Famulski said.
The project will center on three main goals:
Identify behavior of the anterior segment cells, that will give rise to all of the
functional tissues. The team will use state-of-the-art molecular techniques, such as
CRISPR, in combination with imaging technologies, such as light sheet microscopy,
to achieve this goal.
Assemble a detailed readout of the molecular identity of these early progenitor cells.
Gene expression will be compared between various populations of the anterior
segment progenitor cells using RNA sequencing technology. This information will be
necessary for any future attempts at stem cell therapy in ASD patients.
Correlate the findings by screening panels of ASD patients for mutations in genes
identified in their work with zebrafish. The screening will be done in collaboration
with Michael Walter, a professor in the Department of Medical Genetics at the
University of Alberta.
"More than 50 percent of ASD cases have no definitive genetic explanation and we hope
our work will lower that number in order to give clinicians more treatment or counseling
options," Famulski said.
Trainee achievements
2018
Warlen and Kristyn were awarded outstanding poster presentation awards at the annual Kentucky Neuroscience Meeting at UK, April 2018