If you would like to be added to our newsletter mailing list or receive copies of other material you see at this site, please send an email message to aboutkellogg@umich.edu.
| Spring 2008 - Kellogg Faculty Invent Camera that “Sees” Disease before Symptoms Appear - When retinal cells undergo metabolic stress and begin to die, they become fluorescent. This fluorescence can be an early-warning system for diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, letting doctors know there are problems before the patient experiences any symptoms. This camera allows diseases to be treated early, thus saving sight in these patients.
|
 |
 |
Fall 2007 - Clinical Trial Begins for Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients
Kellogg is one of 14 centers across the country to test a possible treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. Dr. John Heckenlively leads the trial for Kellogg in which patients may have a sustained-release capsule implanted into one eye. The capsule releases a naturally occurring protein, ciliary neurotrophic factor, that is known to retard retinal degeneration. |
Spring 2007 - Photoreceptor Cell Death is Often the Culprit in Vision Loss
After years of research Anand Swaroop's lab found that rod precursors held more promise in replacing photoreceptors than mature rods or stem cells. This dramatic breakthrough enabled light-sensing cells to be transplanted successfully into mice. The mice were then able to "see" light, as shown by pupillary responses. |
 |
Fall 2005 - Unraveling the Genetic Basis of AMD
Researchers around the world have independently confirmed that a single chromosomal variant appears to be a key factor for nearly half the patients suffering from AMD. Dr. Anand Swaroop led the Kellogg team that discovered the role of Complement Factor H; he calls it a “giant leap forward in our journey towards meaningful treatment.” |
 |
 |
Spring 2005 - Why Healing Is Sometimes a Bad Thing
Among the most common treatments for glaucoma is surgery to open a channel that allows the excess fluid to drain. Dr. Sayoko Moroi notes that the body frequently closes this channel in an attempt to “heal” the drainage hole. She uses amniotic membranes to fool the body’s natural defense mechanisms. |
Fall 2004 – Eyelid Cancers – Common but Curable
Once cancer cells grow deeper than the skin it becomes increasingly difficult to remove them all during surgery. Dr. Christine Nelson explains that the tissue behind the eye is particularly treacherous territory for isolating cancer cells. But if these cancers are managed early there is a high degree of success both for eliminating the cancer and retaining vision. |
 |
Summer 2003 - Vitamin A: It’s the Survival Factor for Sight
The retina’s master cell layer, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), regulates and nourishes our photoreceptors. Dr. Debra Thompson has found that Vitamin A plays a crucial role in these functions. She discovered RPE65, the gene that regulates Vitamin A in the eye. |
 |
Fall 2002 - Do Cells Talk to Each Other? Kellogg Doctor Listens In
People with diabetes are at great risk of vision loss because the disease can damage blood vessels in the retina. Dr. Donald Puro has “overheard” cells communicating with each other as they regulate a healthy flow of oxygen through capillaries in the retina. He hopes to use what he learns from these healthy cells to prevent diabetic eye disease. |
 |
 |
Spring 2002 - What Fish Can Teach Us about Eye Repair
When a fish needs to repair its retinal cells, it simply grows new ones. When a human needs new retinal cells, we’re out of luck. Dr. Peter Hitchcock studies the teleost fish to determine how this continuous regeneration works so we can apply the same mechanisms as therapies for people who are losing their sight. |
