2020 Annual Report

Researcher Aims to Stop Blindness in Its Tracks

seeks to identify molecules that pass through lenticular gap junctions and establish whether these channels play a role in the etiology of age- related cataracts.” It is work that he’s deeply committed to for the sake of patients, providers, and beyond.

At SUNY College of Optometry, education goes hand- in-hand with a commitment to service and research as highlighted by the work of Miduturu Srinivas, PhD, professor at the College. A natural scientist, he has always been drawn to the why and how of things. But the path to becoming a researcher was not always clear. As a child, Dr. Srinivas wanted to be a musician. “I gave up when I realized that I would be a terrible one,” he shares. Instead of making music, he ended up at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, studying intercellular communication as a postdoc. His work there led him to the College. “I was characterizing the biophysical aspects of channel function of proteins that are present in the retina and the lens. I eventually became interested in how they might be altered in disease (for example cataracts), and I applied to SUNY in response to an open faculty position,” Srinivas said. “The fact that the College already had excellent researchers and faculty—and that it was located in the heart of Manhattan offering opportunities for collaborative work with other institutions—made my choice to join as faculty an easy one.” —Dr. Miduturu Srinivas, Professor His current research involves biophysical and physiological studies of gap junctions. Srinivas explained: “Cells communicate with each other in a variety of ways. One way they talk is via a pathway that is provided by specific ion channels called gap junction channels. These channels are necessary for the function of various organs, including the eye. For example, the crystalline lens receives no direct blood supply, yet it is able to function for most of our lifetime without a loss in its transparency. This is in part due to gap junctions, which provide nutrients from the external environment to cells deep in the lens. My research

“Cataracts, retinopathies and glaucoma are all leading causes of blindness. It is important to identify new targets for their treatment,” Dr. Srinivas said. “I hope my work and others in the field can lead to new therapies and eventually better eye care.”

Congratulations to SUNY Optometry graduate student Reynolds Ablordeppey, OD, recipient of the prestigious Danne Ventura–Essilor Ezell Fellowship presented by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF), an award given to encourage careers in optometric research and education. A native of Ghana, Dr. Ablordeppey is interested in understanding the optical and biochemical mechanisms that occur during eye growth and myopia development.

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