UW Eye Research Institute
The Leadership Committee is the governing ”backbone“ of the Institute, representing the different UW schools and colleges of participating ERI scholars. The interests, diversity and energy brought to the ERI through the inaugural Leadership Committee are highlighted in the profiles below.
In a laboratory focusing on studies of animal-bacterial interactions, Margaret McFall-Ngai, Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, became interested in how tissues that interact with light are designed through evolution. She studies a nocturnal squid that collects light-producing bacteria into its “light organ,” or photophore, to find out what effects the bacteria has on its host. “Photophores and eyes come from very different tissues as an embryo develops, but they converge in structure, anatomy, biochemistry, and in other ways,” she says. “These similarities and differences can teach us something about how organisms use light and vision.”
McFall-Ngai says that she joined the ERI Leadership Committee because she sees an opportunity to create a “new type of eye institute.” She explains, “The UW Eye Research Institute is poised to be the frontrunner in a new generation of institutes that will integrate other fields, such as the arts, engineering, and math.”
“I was struck by the idea that this Eye Research Institute would take the entire campus into consideration to create an entity that enhances the outcome for all vision science,” says Christopher Murphy, Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology in the School of Veterinary Medicine. “This group will be the voice of the visual sciences on campus, a portal for funding, and a home where collegial relationships with others interested in the field can be developed.”
Murphy, a veterinary ophthalmologist, studies corneal wound healing, how cells react to the surfaces they sit on, and how animals have evolved unique optical adaptations for optimizing their visual performance under challenging environmental conditions.
Like Murphy and McFall-Ngai, Nansi Colley, Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, is intrigued with how different organisms have evolved to use light. She uses clues from her research in the common fruit fly to investigate genetically relevant human diseases, like macular degeneration.
“I resonate with the Institute’s mission of bringing the campus researchers together with people in the community who are interested in vision and blinding disorders,” states Colley. “There is great potential for new partnerships with community organizations interested in vision, and for sharing collaborative and educational resources.”
Richard Dubielzig, Professor of Pathobiological Sciences in the School of Veterinary Medicine, has a career-long interest in comparative eye pathology. Receiving eye specimens from veterinarians around the country, he performs diagnostic microscopic analysis to aid in the animal’s treatment. He also maintains a large collection of slides and eye specimens for comparative studies and eye research.
Dubielzig sees a role for the ERI in bringing together groups with markedly different interests, so that all could benefit from exposure to the work of other laboratories. “For example,” he says, “I could see the veterinary mail-in pathology service being done in an environment where human eye pathology, state-of-the-art imaging, and studies of ocular evolution and comparative physiology also take place. Such an atmosphere has the potential to inspire and enlighten each of these fields.”
“Visual sight is a blessing, yet seeing the ordinary world in greater detail through the eyes of trained photographers and artists can provide a completely different and enhanced experience,” Shiela Reaves, Professor of Life Sciences Communication, remarks. “But we also need to be aware of changing media technology to understand how images can be altered to mislead.” Reaves’ research involves the ethics of computer manipulation of images, particularly photos of fashion models, and how the stylized physical attributes presented in the media affect today’s youth. ...(Next) (Previous)