Millions of people worldwide suffer from neurodegenerative diseases like glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and Alzheimer’s disease—conditions that progressively damage nerve cells, often leading to vision loss or cognitive decline. Unfortunately, the nervous system has a very limited ability to repair itself, leaving patients with few effective treatments. My lab is dedicated to changing that by uncovering the mechanisms behind neural damage and finding ways to restore lost function.

As a neurobiologist, I have spent my career studying how neurons degenerate and, more importantly, how we might help them regenerate. My research has led to several major discoveries, including the first successful regeneration of the full-length optic nerve in postnatal mice. We also uncovered a surprising link between the gut microbiome, immune system activity, and neuron loss in glaucoma—findings that were validated in human patients and could open up entirely new treatment approaches. Additionally, my lab identified a master regulator of neuroinflammation, which plays a critical role in disease progression.

Building on these breakthroughs, we are developing innovative regenerative and immunotherapies for currently untreatable optic neuropathies. My work has been featured in media outlets like BBC News and Nature Reviews Immunology, highlighting its potential to transform how we diagnose and treat neurodegenerative diseases. By bridging cutting-edge neuroscience with real-world therapies, my goal is to bring new hope to patients suffering from vision loss and neurodegeneration.