Focus on Research at Duke Eye Center
Since the department’s beginning in 1968 and the opening of the original
Wadsworth Building in 1973, the mission of the Duke Eye Center has been
aimed at serving humankind. Both the building and its programs have been
focused on:
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Utilizing the latest scientific advances and technology.
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Applying the abilities of skilled and internationally recognized
scientists and physicians.
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Providing a caring and compassionate staff.
A partnership between basic science researcher, Fulton Wong, PhD,
MPP, Director of Research and renowned retinal surgeon, Brooks McCuen,
MD, Vice Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, Chief of Vitreoretinal
Service, offers new hope to patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). “I
knew it would be a fantastic opportunity if we could create a pig model
that was genetically engineered, because if we could simulate [RP] in
the pig, then we could watch how the disease developed. Ours are the
only pigs in the world to test RP therapies. If there is a treatment, we
will find it,” said Wong.
“Dr. Wong approached me…the idea was for me as a clinician and a surgeon
to help test various treatments for RP…the pig eye is more similar to
the human than different...To be able to partner with Dr. Wong has been
a wonderful experience…it really helps us to get a more unified and
beneficial idea of where to go,” said McCuen.
Neurobiologist Dennis Rickman, PhD, focuses primarily on how cells in
the retina develop under normal conditions and under experimental
stress. His studies provide insight into how cells might be repaired or
regenerate after they are damaged or die from disease.
“Currently, there are really no therapies for successfully replacing
cells that have died. We are looking at adult-derived stem cells…to
eventually take stem cells from the patient’s own body…and inject them
into the eye to replace the cells that are dying. The hope is, we all
have our own accessible stem cells that are like our personal bag of
‘spare parts’… The challenge is…to learn how to tweak the cells into
becoming what we want them to be and to create an environment in which
these cells could grow and thrive,” said Rickman.
Rand Allingham, MD, Chief of the Glaucoma Service and Barkhouser
Scholar, spearheaded establishing a project to enroll Ghanaian families
with glaucoma in Duke’s Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) Genetic
Linkage Study. The incidence of identified glaucoma in the Ghanaian
population is extremely high and therefore ideal for genetic analysis.
This study is designed to identify the genes responsible for POAG, the
most prevalent form of glaucoma. Duke is the only American medical
center involved in this unique project. The National Eye Institute is
funding the US arm of the study.
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