New study led by Ning Shen w/ @phruzycki.bsky.social: a genome-wide in vivo CRISPR screen in a retinitis pigmentosa mouse model identifies genes whose loss accelerates photoreceptor death. Overexpressing two, UFD1 and UXT, preserves photoreceptors, retinal function, and vision. 🧵
Thanks to the Node for featuring me!
In the spirit 👻 of Freaky Friday 🎃, here is a beautiful yet eery video of zebrafish retina development showing horizontal cells (🔵) finding their way out of the crowded amacrine (🟠) layer to settle beneath the photoreceptors. Happy #Halloween!
🎥: PhD student Rae Wong from the @nordenlab.bsky.social
Normal neuro-vascular maps of the macular inner-retina. Top half clinical imaging: Topographic analyses from 96 normal eyes for OCT thickness (Trinh et al., 2022b) and 57 normal eyes for OCTA signal (Trinh et al., 2021a), with exclusion of any retinal macular/optic nerve pathology. Common locations of the optic nerve head and retinal blood vessels were excluded from OCT scans (Burke et al., 2024a, 2024b; Tong et al., 2020; Trinh et al., 2020, 2021b, 2022b). OCT layers are depicted on the left using a standardised thickness scale (darker green = greater thickness), while OCTA slabs are depicted on the right using a standardised OCTA signal (darker red = greater OCTA signal). Vascular slab approximations were adapted from Campbell et al. (Campbell et al., 2017). For reference, the RPE-BM (drusen layer) is shown using OCT thickness, and the choriocapillaris is shown using OCTA signal. Bottom half histological imaging: Resin embedded, 100 nm serial section of mid-peripheral retina of aged, normal human eye (87 year old male) with amino acid immunolabelling of GABA, glycine, and glutamate mapped to the red, green, and blue colour channels, respectively, and rod opsin labelling indicated in yellow. The section illustrates the laminar organisation of the inner- and outer-retina for cross-reference with the OCT layers above and the distinct neurochemical signatures of neurons in these layers. White scale bar 100 μm. RNFL, retinal nerve fibre layer; GCL, ganglion cell layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; INL, inner nuclear layer; OPL, outer plexiform layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; IS/OS, photoreceptor inner- and outer-segments; RPE-BM, retinal pigment epithelium to Bruch's membrane.
New publication: Inner-Retinal Changes In AMD: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Future Perspectives.
A fun project with Matt Trinh, Michael Kalloniatis, myself, Glenn Yiu, Enrico Borrelli, and Lisa Nivison-Smith
bryanwjones.com/2026/03/inne...
An image of Muller Glia cells (green) co-localizing with a cytoskeletal marker (purple). There are two red blood cells hiding on the bottom of the image. In frogs, red blood cells have nuclei.
I like this image. That is all. 🐸🧪🔬
Muller glia (green) and their cytoskeleton (purple). And a couple of red blood cells have made an appearance.
Chitin organization during corneal lens morphogenesis. Top row: apical surfaces of wild-type (white1118) mid-pupal retinas stained for chitin with chitin-binding domain probe CBD (green) and E-Cadherin and N-Cadherin (magenta). From left to right, the times are 48 h after puparium formation (APF), 50 h APF, 51 h APF, 52 h APF, and 54 h APF. Middle row shows enlargements of single ommatidia. Bottom: Diagram of chitin (green) organization during corneal lens development. CC, cone cells; 1º, primary pigment cells; 2º, secondary pigment cells; 3º, tertiary pigment cells; B, mechanosensory bristles.
How does the #corneal #lens in the #fly eye get its light-focusing shape? @nehaghosh.bsky.social &co show that central cells produce large amounts of #chitin to form the thick central corneal lens; peripheral cells produce smaller amounts to form tapered lens edges @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4lLNgeY
A blurred photo of two people walking after sunset on a path by grass.
Ryan Initiative For Macular Research Meeting
bryanwjones.com/2026/04/ryan...
📸: A 3D rendering of a retinal ganglion cell—the neurons that carry visual signals from your eye to your brain. Dr. Rob Nickells, a BrightFocus Foundation National Glaucoma Research grant recipient, is studying how to protect these cells from glaucoma. https://bit.ly/4tGjBHK
Christine A. Curcio et al. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham investigate histologic photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium degeneration in an eye with clinically documented geographic atrophy of AMD.
doi.org/10.1167/iovs.67.4.12
Today on the animals with fascinating eyes news of the day: Anableps anableps, a four-eyed fish (they really have 2 eyes, but still): www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6....
#FluorescenceFriday
This microscopic🔬 object is a specialized immune cell (microglia) that resides in your retina👁️ and is responsible for damage control and refinement of neural circuits. GFP labeled
@urneuroscience.bsky.social @urochestersmd.bsky.social @flaumeye.bsky.social @uofrbme.bsky.social
NEW from Rick Libby in Experimental Eye Research: Optimizing the characterization and quantification of retinal ganglion cell somas in healthy and injured retinas using cellpose. doi.org/10.1016/j.ex... #URochesterResearch @flaumeye.bsky.social
Hematoxylin & eosin images as well as immunofluorescence of the Aristelliger retina showcasing increased photoreceptors in the fovea
Foveae are almost exclusively found in diurnal taxa. So we set out to examine the retina of an adult Aristelliger. After some careful histology, we found a very shallow photoreceptor-dense pit — a fovea! 6/x
Lateral view of a preserved croaking gecko (Aristelliger) embryo
I’m so excited to announce our new paper in @journal-evo.bsky.social showing how embryology can help us determine ancestral character states in temporal niche
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
Collab w/ A Bauer, A Wegerski, @tonygamble.bsky.social, & A Rasys
#GeckoEvoDevo #Aristelliger
1/x
A virtual rendering of a modern building with curved architecture and long glass panels, lit from within and set in an urban street against a blue background. Overlaid text reads Introducing Moorfields & UCL Centre for Eye Health, with NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre logo in the top left corner.
We’re excited to announce the name of our new partner building: Moorfields & UCL Centre for Eye Health.
Opening in summer 27, this brings research and clinical care together to accelerate patient benefit.
Read: moorfieldsbrc.nihr.ac.uk/partner-buil...
@moorfields.bsky.social @ucleye.bsky.social
Exterior photo of the Moorfields and UCL Centre for Eye Health, nearing completion
Next year, we will be moving to the Moorfields and UCL Centre for Eye Health in Kings Cross. The newly named centre is a joint initiative between @moorfields.bsky.social, @ucleye.bsky.social and Moorfields Eye Charity.
Find out more: www.moorfields.nhs.uk/about-us/ori...
I am excited to share my new paper in @plosbiology.org . Here we show the role of chitin, a polysaccharide, in controlling the shape of the fly corneal lens.
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Resident tissue #macrophages (RTM) are now recognized as integral regulators of tissue physiology, not transient immune sentinels. one fundamental question remains unresolved: why do some populations achieve lifelong self-maintenance, while others are replaced under steady-state conditions? 🧵1/11
So excited to have received an #HFSPResearchGrant to study trilobite eyes with Luke Parry @oxuniearthsci.bsky.social and Gil Ju Lee (Pusan National University)!🥳
I'll be recruiting a postdoc @bristolbiosci.bsky.social - if 3D data, optical modelling, and fossils tickle your interest, stay tuned!
Diane Bovenkamp, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at BrightFocus is at podium giving her speech while Dan Ignaszewski, Executive Director of NAEVR/AVER looks on.
Diane Bovenkamp and Dan Ignaszewski in front of NAEVR/AVER sign.
Speakers at AMD Congressional Briefing: Diane Bovenkamp, Connie Hills, Matt Levine, Dan Ignaszewski (missing Raj Apte—gave virtual presentation)
Diane Bovenkamp in front of the Rayburn Building where the briefing took place
Advocated today in DC at Congressional Briefing for #agerelatedmaculardegeneration funding to NIH & NEI. Thanks to NAEVR/AVER & AMDF for inviting @brightfocus.bsky.social to give a private funder’s perspective. Only by working together can we keep the research pipeline moving to make AMD history.
Best kind of surprise for the weekend: an unexpected meet-up with Chase, the first PhD student from the lab!
Early for #FluorescenceFriday but who cares..
Retinal neural networks in a frame
Chicken retina whole mount showing amacrine cells, with their dendritic arborizations forming a connected mesh
A reminder that the retina is a powerful neural circuit shaping vision before ganglion cells even fire
An image of a frog retina with photoreceptor labeling. The same image is shown 6 times in different colors. In the far left image, the small cones are difficult to detect in both the RGB and the color-blind simulated version. The middle image is the best representation of the data for fully sighted and color blind people, since the cones are easy to detect for both. The image on the right is better than the image on the far left to see the cones in RGB, but is still not color blind friendly.
I made this to demonstrate that for data visualization it's not only the color scheme, but the colors chosen for each channel, that matter. Here is the same image of rods and cones represented in RGB and simulated color blindness, showing how small changes can make a huge difference in what you see.
Peripheral CNV in a donor eye with multi-focal GA
In my lab's latest paper, just out in IOVS, D. Scott McLeod beautifully illustrated the choroidal pathology in a donor with multi-focal GA. I am grateful to Christine Curcio and K. Bailey Freund for allowing us to study these eyes and to all other co-authors.
iovs.arvojournals.org/Article.aspx...
A black and white portrait of vision scientist, Jeff Mumm smiling into the camera.
Portrait: Jeff Mumm (In My Office)
bryanwjones.com/2026/03/port...
#scientist #VisionScientist
The image is a promotional banner for "Glaucoma Chats," featuring Inas F. Aboobakar, MD. It includes text: "Discussing Glaucoma With Your Family," scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, 1 pm Eastern.
Family history is one of the strongest risk factors for glaucoma.
Dr. Inas Aboobakar joins Glaucoma Chats to explain the role of genetics and family history in glaucoma, what and when to share with relatives, and how to encourage glaucoma eye exams.
Register: https://bit.ly/4u7l1Lh
Registered for #ARVO2026 yet? Join @arvoinfo.bsky.social in vibrant Denver, Colo. (May 3-7) and immerse yourself in cutting-edge new eye/#VisionScience under the theme, Achieving precision ophthalmology through innovative #VisionResearch. Sign up by March 11 and save: https://bit.ly/3ZfOC7f
Chloe Cable, Sidney P. Kuo and Eric A. Newman observed that junctional conductance of #retinal AII amacrine cell electrical synapses is decreased by #NMDA receptors 👁️ 🧠
📜 Read the study here: physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/...
Smoking is one of the top documented risk factors for #AMD (age related macular degeneration). But a "risk factor" is just a fancy way of saying "we know it is somehow connected, but do not know how". This paper from Johns Hopkins sheds light on a possible mechanism.
#retina
#blindness
Inhibitory neurons are among the most transcriptomically diverse class of neurons in the CNS, with some brain regions having 60+ distinct cell types. Do humans share the same repertoire as rodents? Birds? Fish? 1/13
