Dr. Dwight Stambolian

Biography

Dwight E. Stambolian, MD/PhD, is the William C. Frayer Professor in Ophthalmology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a full member of the Institute for Human Gene Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania and serves as an attending physician at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. His research focuses on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and genetics, particularly in African American populations. Stambolian's significant contributions include large cohort studies to identify protective haplotypes related to AMD and whole exome sequencing to uncover rare variants impacting AMD severity. His lab utilizes zebrafish and mouse models to study refractive errors and other eye diseases, employing a systems biology approach. He has published widely on these subjects, emphasizing the genetic factors involved in eye disease. Stambolian is deeply interested in early detection therapies for AMD and has developed bioinformatics tools to analyze gene expression differences related to the condition. His ongoing research aims at characterizing the genetic underpinnings of refractive errors and microphthalmia, with the ultimate goal of informing therapeutic strategies and improving patient outcomes in ophthalmology.

Research Interests

Experience