David Gamm, MD, PhD

Keywords: Stem cells, retina, inherited retinal degenerations (including retinitis pigmentosa), macular degenerations (including AMD), and retinal disease modeling and treatment

Education
BS 1990, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
MD 1998, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
PhD 1998, Neurosciences, University of Michigan School of Graduate Studies, Ann Arbor, MI
Ophthalmology Residency, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, WI
Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, WI

Research Interests
Dr. David Gamm’s lab is at the forefront in developing cell-based therapies to combat retinal degenerative diseases (RDDs). As the director of the McPherson Eye Research Institute and a member of the Waisman Center Stem Cell Research Program, the UW Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation, his efforts are directed toward basic and translational retinal stem cell research. The Gamm Lab uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to create retinal tissues composed of authentic human photoreceptor cells—rods and cones—that can detect light and initiate visual signals in a dish. The aims of his laboratory are (1) to investigate the cellular and molecular events that occur during human retinal development and (2) to generate cells for use in retinal disease modeling and cell replacement therapies. In collaboration with other researchers at UW–Madison and around the world, they are developing methods to produce and transplant photoreceptors and/or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in preparation for future clinical trials. At the same time, the Gamm Lab uses these lab-grown photoreceptor and RPE cells to test and advance a host of other experimental treatments, including gene therapies. In so doing, his lab seeks to delay or reverse the effects of blinding disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and to develop or co-develop effective interventions for these RDDs at all stages of disease.

Gamm Lab Website: David Gamm’s Lab

Publications
David Gamm’s Publications