Van Gelder Lab

The Van Gelder Lab has three main interests:

1.  Molecular diagnostics of ocular infectious disease.  Ocular infectious diseases, including microbial keratitis, conjunctivitis, and endophthalmitis, are significant causes of potentially blinding diseases. Most infectious organisms causing ocular disease originate in the ocular surface. Using cutting-edge molecular methods, including next generation sequencing, the Van Gelder lab is developing new techniques for rapid diagnosis of ocular infectious disease.
2. Vision restoration.  Degenerative blinding diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, are caused by the death of rods and cones.  The Van Gelder lab is investigating the therapeutic potential of synthetic small molecule photoswitches for restoring light sensitivity to degenerated retinas.
3.  Non-visual photoreception.  The Van Gelder lab is also working to understand how light affects mammalian physiology outside the visual system. We are particularly interested in the ‘non-visual opsins’ including Opn3, Opn4, and Opn5 and their roles in circadian rhythm synchronization and wound healing.