Grant: CIHR REDI Early Career Transition Award - Eye Diseases

Retinal diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa cause debilitating vision loss and are increasingly prevalent in our aging population. They are caused by the progressive malfunction and loss of photoreceptor cells in the retina, which are the cells of the eye that are responsible for sensing light and initiating the process of vision. Most of these diseases are currently untreatable, and existing therapies focus on managing symptoms and attempting to slow cell loss rather than stopping and reversing the visual decline. Therefore, we need new treatments that aim to promote the survival and recovery of photoreceptor cells to prevent the progression of retinal diseases towards total blindness. Our research team uses mice to study the steps that lead to retinal degeneration and vision loss. I have developed a new mouse model in which photoreceptor cells die and/or lose their ability to transmit light signals, which mimics what occurs in people with retinal diseases. Genes known to cause human retinal diseases are disrupted in these mice. By studying these mice, we hope to learn what keeps photoreceptor cells healthy and working properly for useful vision. Because physical exercise has been shown to improve brain health and activity for different neurodegenerative conditions, we tested whether it might also improve visual performance in our mouse model of photoreceptor degeneration. Remarkably, the mice that were given a running wheel in their cage showed improved visual function - their photoreceptors were now able to transmit light signals! This exciting finding allows us to study how exercise can protect photoreceptors. We aim to understand the biological processes that lead to photoreceptor cell and vision loss, learn how exercise can impact these processes, and identify molecules that are important for promoting photoreceptor cell health, which in turn can lead to the development of new treatments to overcome devastating blinding diseases.