Skip to main content Skip to main menu
UF Health University of Florida
Department of Ophthalmology Research College of Medicine
Lab Profiles Overview

Teaching

Courses Directed:

  • GMS 6791 Visual Neurosciences Journal Club (2010-present)

Courses taught:

  • GMS6070 Sensory Biology Instructor: Diseases and Disorders of the Visual System  (2017)
  • GMS6417 Integrative Aging Physiolog.  Instructor: Visual Disorders (2016)
  • GMS6252 Molecular Therapy II- Disease Targets and Applications, Instructor: Ocular Diseases I (2016)
  • GMS6252 Molecular Therapy II- Disease Targets and Applications, Instructor: Ocular Diseases II(2016)
  • GMS6893 CTSI Student Seminar, Instructor: Sensory Disorders (2016)
  • Faculty mentor for Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (GPBS) small mentoring groups. Weekly meetings during fall semester (2016)
  • Lecture for Medical Students- “Gene Therapy for GUCY2D– LCA1” (2016)
  • GMS6029 Neurodegenerative Research: From Bench-to-Bedside (2015)
  • MCB 4911- supervised research (2014)
  • GMS6417 Integrative Aging Physiology.  Instructor: Visual Disorders in Humans (2014)
  • GMS6252 Molecular Therapy II- Disease Targets and Applications. Instructor:Ocular Diseases I (2014)
  • GMS6252 Molecular Therapy II- Disease Targets and Applications. Instructor:Ocular Diseases II (2014)
  • GMS6893 CTSI Student Seminar. Instructor: Vision Disorders (2014-present)
  • EGN4912 Engineering Research (Spring/Summer/Fall) (2014)
  • Lecture for Ophthalmology residents- “Gene Therapy for GUCY2D-LCA1” (2014)
  • BMS 4905 Mentored Research (2013-present)
  • GMS6709 Current Topics in Vision. Instructor: Electroretinogram and Optokinetic Reflex Testing (2013)
  • GMS 6417 Integrative Aging Physiology. Instructor: Visual Anatomy and Physiology (2013-present)
  • GMS 6417 Integrative Aging Physiology. Instructor: Visual Disorders in Human (2013-present)
  • GMS 5905 Molecular Therapy II- Disease Targets and Applications. Instructor: Ocular Diseases I (2012)
  • GMS 5906 Molecular Therapy II- Disease Targets and Applications. Instructor:Ocular Diseases II (2012)
  • MDT7090 – 708A Elective Topics (2012-present)
  • GMS 6090 (2012-present)
  • GMS 7979 (2012-present)
  • GMS 7980- post qualifying research (2012-present)
  • GMS 6790 Current Topics in Vision. Instructor: Visual Processing, Electrophysiology (2011)
  • GMS 6001. Teaching assistant and discussion leader. Topics covered:molecular biology of circadian rhythms (2005, 2006)
  • SSTP IDH Seminar Series– Gene Therapy (course for advanced high school students) (2004)

Students:

Graduate Students:

  • Victoria Fielding, M.S.. student 2017-present
  • K. Tyler McCullough, M.S. student 2017- present
  • Kaitlyn Calabro, IDP Ph.D. student- 2016- present
  • Miranda White, alumnus student- 2013-2016

Medical Student Research Program (MSRP) Students:

  • Michael Levin- UF MSRP fellow, summer 2016
  • Bradley Sifrig- UF MSRP fellow, summer 2015
  • John Bullock- UF MSRP fellow, summer 2012

Residents:

  • Valentina Lozano, MD, spring 2017-present

Medical Student volunteers:

  • David Ullman- FSU medical student volunteer, summer 2012
  • Peter Tang- MUSC MD/PhD away rotation student, summer 2012

Undergraduate/Post-bac students:

  • Jessica Kenney- undergraduate research volunteer, Jan. 2010-May 2012
  • Marilyn Okine- undergraduate research volunteer, May 2011- Aug. 2011
  • Candace Brown- undergraduate research volunteer, Jan. 2012-May 2012
  • Paige Davis- undergraduate research volunteer, August 2012- May 2013
  • Alyssa Berger- undergraduate research volunteer, August 2013- December 2013
  • Oliver Sroka- undergraduate research volunteer, August 2013- December 2015
  • Billy Vann- undergraduate research volunteer, May 2013- August 2014
  • Ruth Antony- January 2015- december 2016
  • Lauren von Zabern- January 2015- December 2016
  • Gita Lakshminarayanan- June 2015- August 2015
  • Jordan Dailey- October 2015
  • Grace Cope- January 2016-January 2017
  • Andrew Makarov- August 2016-May 2017
  • Erich Zellmer- October 2016-June 2018
  • Nicole Pineda (post bac)- January 2017-June 2018
  • Nora Wartan (post bac)- January 2017-June 2018
  • Greg Aiello- January 2017-August 2018
  • Laurel Tanke- June 2017- June 2018
  • Brian Li- January 2018- present
  • Lillian Vu- August 2018- present
  • Alejandro de-la-Cova- August 2018- present
  • Kaitlyn Evans- January 2019- present

IDP Rotation students:

  • Emily Brown, 1st rotation (Fall 2014)
  • Jamie Shirley, 1st rotation (Fall 2014)
  • Rachna Manek, 2nd rotation (Fall 2014)
  • Casey Keuthan, 3rd rotation (Spring 2015)
  • Seth Currlin, 1st rotation (Fall 2015)
  • Enrico Barrozo, 2nd rotation (Fall 2015)
  • Kaitlyn Calabro, 2nd rotation (Fall 2015)
  • Theodore Drashansky, 2nd rotation (Fall 2015)
  • Russell Mellen, 1st rotation (Fall 2017)
  • Siddante Gupta, 3rd rotation (Spring 2019)

Visiting Scholars

  • Rebecca Fitzgerald (Trinity College, Dublin)- Summer 2016
  • Helder Andre, Ph.D. (St. Erik Eye Hospital/Karolinska Institute)- Summer 2016, Fall 2018
  • Zhonghong Zhang, MD 2012-2014

Thesis Committees:

  • Elizabeth Delgado, 2nd year Genetics student (external member)
  • Victoria Fielding, M.S., 4th year IDP student (chair)
  • Virginia White, DVM, M.S., 2nd year IDP student (member)
  • Enrico Barrozo, 3rd year Genetics student (external member)
  • Jieun Lee, 2nd year masters student (member)
  • K. Tyler McCullough, M.S., 2nd year IDP student (chair)
  • Kaitlyn Calabro, 3rd year IDP student (chair)
  • Miranda White, IDP graduate (chair)
  • Lei Xu, 6th year IDP student (member)
  • Marcus Hooper, 6th year IDP student (member)
  • Angela McCall, IDP graduate (member)
  • Christopher Reid,  IDP student (member) transfer to MCW
  • Jamie Shirley, 4th year IDP student (member)
  • Renee Ryals, IDP graduate, July 2014 (member)

Post-doctoral associates:

  • Shreyasi Choudhury, Ph.D., August 2014- present
  • Frank M. Dyka, PhD. (*shared with Dr. Hauswirth)- August 2014- August 2016

Invited Talks/Workshops/Symposia:

  • “Gene therapy in retina”- Identifying Treatments for Taste and Smell Disorders, 11/14/18, Philadelphia, PA
  • “Gene Therapies”- Foundation Fighting Blindness VISIONS conference, San Diego, CA, 6/22/18
  • “AAV Vectors in the Eye”- American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chicago, IL, 5-19-18
  • Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Disease”- Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina. Charleston, SC, 9/27/18
  • “Development of a gene therapy for biallelic mutations in GUCY2D”. Innovation Summit for Retinal Cell and Gene Therapy, Honolulu, HI 4-26-18
  • “Gene Therapy 101”- “Brave New World: Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Diseases” symposium. Institute for Continuing Healthcare Education, Honolulu, HI 4-28-18
  • Leber congenital Amaurosis”- Foundation Fighting Blindness VISIONS conference, San Diego, CA, 6/23/18
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Disease”- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Research Seminar Series, University of Florida, 3-13-18
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Disease”- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Seminar Series, University of Florida, 2-21-18
  • “Gene Delivery to the Retina: Current and Emerging Technologies”. State University of New York at Buffalo, 2-6-18
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Disease”- North Texas Eye Research Institute, 11-6-17
  • “Gene and Drug Therapies”- Foundation Fighting Blindness Investing in Cures Summit. Chicago, IL. 9-15-17
  • “Gene Therapy 101 and Current Applications”- Achrompacorp Conference 7-1-2017, Milwaukee, WI
  • “Identification of AAV capsid variants with enhanced retinal transduction following screening in non-human primate”. 4th Annual Retinal Cell and Gene Therapy Innovation Summit. Baltimore, MD, May 5th, 2017
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Disease”- Children’s Research Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania. April 24th, 2017
  • “USH talk”- Usher Coalition- April 15th, 2017
  • “UF Preeminence Report”- College of Medicine Leadership Council meeting. March 17th, 2017
  • “Coffee Talk”, University of Florida’s Office of Research. March 2nd, 2017
  • “Gene Therapy for USH1B- Two Steps Forward, One Step Back”- January 23rd, 2017. UF Center for Vision Research Annual Symposium
  • “Gene Therapy for GUCY2D-LCA1”- Editas Medicine- October 3rd, 2016
  • “Retinal Transduction by AAV in non-human primate”- AGTC/Synpromics September 15th, 2016
  • “Gene Delivery to the Retina: Current and Emerging Technologies” Biology Department colloquium at Florida State University. September 8th, 2016
  • “AAV- mediated retinal gene therapy: Where we are and where we’re going”- The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL- August 12th, 2016
  • “AAV-mediated gene therapy for inherited retinal disease”. Research in Progress Seminar Series, University of Florida. March 18th, 2016.
  • “Future Developments in Gene Therapy”, Public Engagement Day- Retina 2015. Dublin, Ireland, November 7th, 2015
  • “Gene Therapy for Usher syndrome”. Breakout discussion panel. Retina 2015. Dublin, Ireland, November 7th, 2015.
  • “Gene Delivery to the Retina: Current and Emerging Technologies”, Scientific Programme- Retina 2015. Dublin, Ireland, November 6th, 2015
  • “Roadblocks faced developing clinical trials for retinal dystrophies”- ICON PLC, Retina 2015, Dublin, Ireland, November 5th, 2015
  • “Promoter analysis in support of RPGR XLRP program”- AGTC/Biogen, Gainesville, Fl October 29th, 2015
  • “AAV-mediated gene therapy for inherited retinal disease”, Foundation Fighting Blindness Jacksonville Chapter Vision Walk Preview Meeting. October 17th, 2015.
  • “Retinal gene therapy”, Retina 2015 conference, Dublin, Ireland, November 6th, 2015
  • “Retinal gene therapy”, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, September 14th, 2015
  • “Gene Therapy for GUCY2D LCA1” – 2nd international Retinal Gene Therapy meeting hosted by Casey Eye Institute, Denver, CO, May 2015
  • “Gene therapy 101”- Foundation Fighting Blindness VISIONS conference, Baltimore, MD, June 2015
  • “Gene therapy restores useful vision to a model of the GUCY2D-LCA1 patient fovea, the all-cone Nrl-/-GC1-/-mouse”, ARVO, Denver, CO, May 4th, 2015
  • “Gene Therapy for LCA1, a Summary of Progress”- Genzyme Center, Cambride, MA (11-3-14)
  • “Gene Therapy 101”- Foundation Fighting Blindness JAX/Orlando chapter meeting. Gainesville, Fl (9-20-14)
  • “Expanding the AAV vector toolkit”- Hope for Vision Conference, Miami Fl (9-5-14)
  • “AAV-mediated retinal gene therapy, from vector development to clinical application” Casey Eye Institute, OHSU (8-22-14)
  • “Gene replacement in an all cone model of GC1 deficiency‐ focusing in on the affected loci in GUCY2D‐LCA1 patients”. Retinal Degeneration (RD) (7-2014)
  • “Viral Vectors for Retina Research and Therapy”- FASEB Science Research Conference on Retinal Neurobiology and Visual Processing (6-2014)
  • “Gene Therapy 101”- Achromacorp’s Achromatopsia Convention (6-2014)
  • “Gene Therapy 101” – Foundation Fighting Blindness national Visions Conference, Baltimore, MD (6-22-14)
  • “Clinical Trials- Am I Ready?”- Foundation Fighting Blindness national Visions Conference, Denver, CO (6-23-14)
  • “AAV vector gene delivery for treatment of retinal disease”- ARVO, Orlando, FL 5-5-14) Minisymposia
  • “Animal models for pre-clinical studies of gene therapy”- ARVO, Orlando, FL (5-4-14) Workshop
  • “Gene Therapy 101”- Foundation Fighting Blindness national Visions Conference, Baltimore MD (6-29-13)
  • “Gene Therapy Clinical Trial Updates”- Foundation Fighting Blindness Visions Conference, Baltimore MD (6-28-13)
  • “Gene Therapy for GUCY2D-Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA1)”- Moran Eye Center, University of Utah. Salt Lake City, Utah (5-16-13)
  • “AAV Gene Transfer to the Retina”. Educational symposium. American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, Seattle, WA (5-15-2013)
  • “Ocular Gene Therapy: an update and what’s on the horizon”. NIH Gene Therapy Workshop. Bethesda, MA (4-12-13)
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Retinal Disease: Leber Congenital Amaurosis-1 (LCA1)”. Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Research Conference. University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl (4-30-13)
  • “Update on Gene Therapy for LCA1 and Intravitreal AAV-Mediated therapy for Photoreceptor disease” Research in Progress, Department of Pediatrics. University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl (3-28-13)
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Retinal Disease: Leber Congenital Amaurosis-1 (LCA1)”. Inherited Retinal Disease: Diagnosis and Therapy Symposium. University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl (10-29-12)
  • “LCA-an overview and preclinical work on the GUCY2D gene”- Foundation Fighting Blindness, The Doctor is In session. Jacksonville, Fl (10-20-12)
  • “Gene Therapy for LCA1”- Foundation for Retinal Research (FRR) LCA Family Conference. Philadelphia, PA (7-21-2012)
  • “Gene Therapy for Severe Pediatric Retinal Dystrophy, LCA1”- University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory. St. Augustine, Fl (7-13-2012)
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Retinal Disease: Leber Congenital Amaurosis-1 (LCA1)”- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (5-22-2012)
  • “Transduction of the Outer Retina”- Ocular Gene Therapy Symposium ARVO. Ft. Lauderdale, Fl (5-6-2012)
  • “Gene Therapy for Photoreceptor-Mediated Disease- Leber Congenital Amaurosis-1 (LCA1)”- Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Storm Eye Institute, Charleston, SC (4-2-12)
  • “Gene Therapy for LCA1 (Guanylate Cyclase Deficiency) in Mouse Models”- University of Florida’s Department of Ophthalmology 50th anniversary celebration, Gainesville, Fl (3-23-12)
  • “The ‘Other’ LCA” Powell Gene Therapy Center, University of Florida. Gainesville, Fl (10-13-10)
  • “Gene Therapy Restores Function to Cone Cells in An Animal Model of Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA-1)” Whitney Laboratory- St. Augustine, Fl (06-16-06)

Meetings Organized:

  • Organizer of the Foundation Fighting Blindness Jacksonville and Orlando chapters’ “Gene Therapy 101” visit to UF (9-20-14)
  • Co-organizer of Achromacorp’s Achromatopsia convention (June 6-7, 2014). Co-organizer with Dr. Christine Kay and Bridget Vissari (CEO of Achromacorp). This meeting featured on Yahoo Finance.
  • Co-organizer along with Drs. Clay Smith and Christine Kay of the University of Florida’s Center for Vision Research 2012 annual symposium entitled “Inherited Retinal Disease”