Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurobiology

Education

University of North Carolina, BA, Psychology

University of Southern California, PhD, Anatomy and Cell Biology

University of California - Los Angeles, Postdoctoral Fellowship, Anatomy and Neurobiology

Phone

919-668-0659

Email

rickm004@mc.duke.edu

Research interests

Retinal repair and regeneration

• Focuses on the use of stem cells as potential therapies for degenerative diseases of the retina and optic nerve. 
• The design of novel strategies for the isolation and expansion of stem cells from the mammalian retina. 
• Transplantation of stem cells as treatments in animal models of retinal disease and injury. 
• The design of novel biosynthetic scaffolding devices for delivery of stem cells to the retina. 
• Mechanisms of optic nerve degeneration

Dennis Rickman, PhD, studies the roles of known risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases on the integrity of the optic nerve. These factors include age, diet and expression of a particular genetic isoform of apolipoprotein E (a molecule involved in cholesterol processing). These studies will potentially help to identify patients who may be at risk for developing more severe optic nerve degeneration from glaucoma, and would benefit from early intervention.