The Andreas Tolias Lab at Stanford University is seeking an exceptional neuroscientist or cognitive scientist—at the postdoctoral level—to join the newly launched Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE) https://www.simonsfoundation.org/neuroscience/simons-collaboration-on-ecological-neuroscience/
Our research focuses on unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying retinal development and diseases. We employ genetic and genomic tools to explore how various retinal cell types, including neurons, glia, and the vasculature, respond to developmental cues and disease insults at the epigenomic and transcriptional levels. In addition, we investigate their interactions and collective contributions to maintain retinal integrity.
Mission:
Our mission is to understand the role of mechanosensation in the eye and how it relates to glaucoma.
Approach:
Our goal is to discover new strategies for treating glaucoma by understanding the mechanisms of mechanosensation in the eye. By combining human genetic analyses, in vitro molecular and electrophysiological approaches, and in vivo mouse models of glaucoma, we are currently studying the role of mechanosensitive ion channels in glaucoma.
Our translational research laboratory endeavors to bring breakthroughs in stem cell biology and tissue engineering to clinical ophthalmology and reconstructive surgery. Over 6 million people worldwide are afflicted with corneal blindness, usually caused by chemical and thermal burns, ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, microbial infections, or chronic inflammation.
We work on the cellular and molecular basis of neuronal survival and axon growth relevant to neuroprotection and regeneration, and on differentiation and transplant relevant to neural development and cell replacement therapies. Using retinal ganglion cells, a type of CNS neuron, as our primary model system in vitro and in rodent models in vivo, we use diverse "omics" and discovery research, combined with hypothesis-driven experiments and novel techniques, to unveil the basis for neuronal development, integration, and regeneration in the visual system.
Throughout the decades, our team has dedicated to the conducts of innovative clinical trials and ocular imaging studies aimed to enhance our knowledge while bringing new therapeutic options for retinal vascular diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema, retinal vein occlusion and vaso-occlusive diseases, retinal degeneration as well as uveitic and ocular inflammatory diseases.
Specificity and efficacy in intracellular signal transduction can be conferred by the anchoring and co-localization of key enzymes and their upstream activators and substrate effectors by scaffold proteins.
We are studying the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and axon regeneration after CNS injury and neurological diseases, using retinal ganglion cell (RGC) and optic nerve in various optic neuropathies mouse models. Regenerative and neuroprotective therapies have long been sought for CNS neurodegenerative diseases but none have been found. That there is no curative neuroprotective or restorative therapy for neurodegeneration is a central challenge for human health.
Our lab is part of the Byers Eye Institute and the Ophthalmology Department at Stanford University. We seek to develop novel retinal imaging technologies to improve the diagnosing and treatment of ocular, vascular, neurodegenerative and systemic diseases. Our work is motivated by the personal interactions with research study volunteers and patients that we have been fortunate to have worked with.