Our stem cell derived human retinal organoid platform is a powerful tool for the study of developmental processes in the human retina. By using gene editing tools, we can modulate genes known to cause disease and examine how these genetic aberrations affect each cell type of the retina. For example, we have used this model to study developmental tumors Retinoblastoma, and have gained significant insight into how these tumors arise and progress into their most malignant presentations. We are now using this platform to test for the most effective therapies to treat these childhood cancers

Manufacturing prosthetics for patients with facial defects has traditionally been laborious, expensive, and difficult to access for many patients around the world. Yet a facial prosthetic is an extremely important element in the mental health and overall wellness for these patients. By introducing newer technologies such as digital scans, image-morphometry and colorimetry, computational automation, and 3D printing, we have reduced the time and cost that it takes to create one of these devices. We have further shown to be able to complete the process remotely, without having the patient physically present in our facility, thus allowing us to envision worldwide deployment of these technologies to the most remote locations

Nature has long provided humans with the most powerful tools to manage our health; from antibiotics to gene editing, humans have figured out ways to harness biological tools for our benefit. We have taken this approach in the generation of new viruses that can infect and kill cancer cells in a type of detrimental gene therapy approach. We have developed an inventory of 3 novel viral biologies inspired by viruses that naturally infect epithelial cells of our body in order to deliver suicide genes into carcinoma cells. We harness cancer-specific traits to control the expression of the suicide gene, essentially turning a cancer's own growth machinery into a vulnerability to its survival. This DOD-funded project is now being evaluated in the management of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) systemic disease  

We are constantly pushing the boundary of biotechnology. Our laboratory explores the use and development of the most novel biomaterials, biomanufacturing, and bioengineering technologies to generate tissue-engineered constructs that will enable the next generation of therapies in ophthalmology