News
Dr. Schallek and Dr. Wojtovich receive CVS pilot grant to study mitochondria in the living retina
Monday, August 11, 2025
The Neutrophil and Microglia dance in the retina: coverage of our paper in eLife
Thursday, July 24, 2025
During most eye infections or injuries, neutrophils, immune cells found in the blood, are usually the first line of defense. However, researchers at the Flaum Eye Institute and Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester have discovered that the retina responds differently than many other tissues in the body. When photoreceptor cells in the retina are damaged, microglia, or the brain’s immune cells, respond, and the neutrophils are not recruited to help despite passing through nearby blood vessels.
“This finding has high implications for what happens for millions of Americans who suffer vision loss through loss of photoreceptors,” said Jesse Schallek, PhD, associate professor of Ophthalmology and senior author of a study out today in eLife. “This association between two key immune cell populations is essential knowledge as we build new therapies that must understand the nuance of immune cell interactions.”
For more details, visit the following sites:
https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/researchers-examine-brain-immune-cell-impact-on-the-eye