OCT-2024
David Burdick Philanthropic Gift
The Telias Lab is greatful to Mr. David Burdick for his generous gift. This donation will help our effort in developing new therapeutic strategies to inhibit retinal ganglion cell hyperactivity and improve vision.
10-24-2024
POSTIGO AND TELIAS LAB RECEIVE TEMPLETON AWARD
Co-PIs Dr. Pablo Postigo and Dr. Michael Telias receive the prestigious Templeton Award to advance our understanding of light propagation. The award of more than $1.5M will fund innovative and unorthodox research to understand whether neurons can communicate using light. The project combines the nanophotonic technologies developed by Pablo Postigo and the electrophysiology and neuronal culture capabilities of the Telias Lab.
Society for Neuroscience, Chicago 2024
A.K. Abraham, L. Afrima, M. Telias. Expression of receptor tyrosine kinases in the ganglion cells of degenerated retinas. (PSTR343.14)
Clinical trial update September 2024
Two independent clinical trials/studies have been registered on Clinicaltrials.gov, announcing they plan to test the effects of treatment with disulfiram on visual acuity and visual function of patients with photoreceptor loss.
The clinical study led by Dr. Debarshi Mustafi from the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA) will be a cross-over randomized control trial to evaluate disulfiram in improving retinal sensitivity, in patients with inherited retinal degeneration (such as retinitis pigmentosa). More details on this clinical trial can be found here.
The clinical study led by Dr. Alex Levin from the Flaum Eye Institute at the University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) will be an open-label trial testing changes in visual acuity before, during and after use of disulfiram; in patients comorbidly diagnosed with alcohol abuse disorder and retinal degeneration. The details on that study can be found here.
Recent e-phys modalities - 2024
June/July/August-2024
During the summer of 2024, the lab is hosting a series of three special journal clubs by three young investigators.
June 20, 2024: Dr. Levi Todd PhD, SUNY Upstate
July 24, 2024: Dr. Frans Vinberg PhD, U. of Utah
06-28-2024
DR TELIAS INTERVIEWED FOR "EYE ON THE CURE"
05-08-2024
Dr. Michael Telias and Dr. Leonor Afrima represented the lab during ARVO 2024 in Seattle. Two studies were presented:
04-19-2024
DR AFRIMA PRESENTS HER WORK
Dr. Leonor Afrima, Postdoc Associate at the Telias Lab, presented her work in a poster during the 2024 Annual Retreat of the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the beautiful Memorial Art Gallery.
08-11-2023
THE LAB GOES KAYAKING
We all got together to enjoy the summer, do some kayaking, lunch and ice cream. What a magnificent day in Fairport and the Erie Canal.
07-10-2023
DR TELIAS CO-AWARDED TWO CVS PILOT FUNDS
The inaugural edition of the CVS Pilot Funds for Vision Research granted two out of three awards to the Telias Lab. The first, in collaboration with the Briggs Lab, will study the effects of retinal hyperactivity in the brain of mice with retinal degeneration; and the second, in collaboration with the Marcos Lab, will study the role of retinoic acid signaling in refractive error and myopia in mice.
04-30-2023
BME SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT
The Senior Design Project presentation showcasing the innate light-avoidance apparatus custom-made for the Telias Lab by an excellent team of BioMedical Engineering undergraduates.
04-14-2023
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH EXPO '23
Alan Abraham and Emma Evereth presented their work in this years Research Expo!
02-10-2023
DR TELIAS DELIVERS TALK IN SPAIN
Dr. Telias was invited by Dr. Vinas-Pena from the Institute of Optics CSIC to deliver a talk in their campus, in Madrid, Spain. The lecture focused on the molecular and physiological mechanisms of RGC hyperactivity in photoreceptor degeneration, with a focus on MEA and 2-photon imaging of mouse retina ex-vivo.
10-20-2022
The choreography of development is a delicate dance. Beginning in utero, chromosomes, DNA, genes and RNA twirl, tap, and sashay their way in a precise pattern. A misstep or a missing step that changes the routine causes body and brain functions to go awry – as is the case with many intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Fragile X syndrome is the most common known single-gene cause of inherited IDDs, including autism. Scientists know the misstep in this syndrome is in the gene FMR1. FMR1 is responsible for making the protein FMRP, which is necessary for typical brain development.
09-21-2022
EMERGING VISION SCIENTISTS DAY NAEVR/AEVR
Dr. Michael Telias was invited to participate in the Emerging Vision Scientists Day, organized by the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research. Over the course of 2 days, more than 20 young scientists investigating eye and vision diseases, came to Washington D.C. to ask Congress to increase funding for the National Eye Institute.
08-28-2022
The Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience & the Schmitt Foundation have awarded the Telias lab the Pilot Project Program Grant, which will be used to study whether blockade of purinergic signaling in retinal ganglion cells can rescue the effects of remodeling, caused by retinal degeneration in mouse models of retinitis pigmentosa and photo-toxicity. Read more about the Schmitt Program on Integrative Neuroscience (SPIN).
04-18-2022
The Schwartz Undergraduate Research Fund awarded Mr. Alan Abraham the Discover Grant to spend the summer at the Telias Lab researching the molecular mechanisms of inner retinal remodeling in mice with inherited photoreceptor dystrophy. Alan's project focuses on the role of Tyrosine Kinase Receptors in retinal ganglion cells undergoing remodeling.
3-21-2022
DISULFIRAM TREATMENT FOR VISION IMPROVEMENT
