Profile
My research focuses on retinal degeneration. Retinal degeneration
is characterized by the progressive loss of photoreceptors in the
eye leading to blindness or a loss of vision. Specifically, we are
interested in exploring the causes in an attempt to find ways to
prevent this debilitating disease. We use Drosophila as our
experimental model organism for insights into mechanisms of
degeneration. Inherited retinal degeneration in Drosophila has been
explored for understanding similar processes in humans. In
Drosophila, we employ a multi-disciplinary approach by combining
molecular biological, cell biological, biochemical and genetics
strategies to uncover the molecular basis underlying the
degeneration process. Currently, we are investigating the
contribution of arrestin 1 and arrestin 2 in retinal degeneration.
Both arrestins belong to the evolutionarily conserved family that
plays a critical role to modulate the function of rhodopsin. In
particular, we are exploring whether reversible phosphorylation of
arrestins and rhodopsin affects the internalization of rhodopsin,
which may orchestrate retinal degeneration.