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Dr. Ismail Zaitoun is an Assistant Professor at the McPherson Eye Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a leading cause of visual impairment in children, particularly those who are extremely premature. Dr. Zaitoun's lab investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in ROP, specifically targeting the role of family proteins such as Bcl-2 and its member Bim in the development of retinal vasculature under varying oxygen levels. His team employs the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mouse model to understand the impacts of Bim deletion on blood vessel formation and the potential for targeted therapies in preventing vision loss associated with ROP. In addition to ROP, Dr. Zaitoun's research also addresses the implications of hypoxic-ischemic insult on retinal vascular integrity and function, particularly how such injuries can lead to visual impairments in children suffering from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Through this work, he aims to elucidate the complex interactions between retinal vascularization and neuronal damage in order to better inform treatment strategies.
Department: Department of Computer Sciences