Dr. Edward Pugh Jr

Biography

Edward N. Pugh, Jr. is a distinguished professor at the University of California, Davis, in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology. His research has focused extensively on the mechanisms of phototransduction in rod and cone photoreceptors of the retina, investigating the molecular biophysical processes that allow these cells to convert light into electrical signals. Over the past decade, he has pioneered methodologies for recording light-driven currents from single mouse cones and has developed techniques for measuring cone-specific field potentials through electroretinography. His work includes the functional co-expression of mouse cone opsins, the role of G-protein receptor kinases in opsin deactivation, and the investigation of arrestins in the deactivation of cone opsins. Pugh has engineered various mouse models, such as an S-opsin knockout line and an F81Y knockin mouse, to explore the regulatory mechanisms of cone opsin expression. His lab has increasingly utilized two-photon imaging for live retinal studies, crucial for understanding normal retinal function. He has published extensively, contributing to numerous high-profile journals in vision science and neurophysiology. Pugh maintains active affiliations with graduate groups and works collaboratively within the scientific community to advance understanding of vertebrate phototransduction and retinal diseases.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards