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Karsten Gronert is a Professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry. His research focuses on the role of lipid networks in regulating immune responses and maintaining tissue homeostasis. He explores the role of endogenous protective lipid mediators in ocular reparative responses and retinal neurodegeneration. Through innovative approaches and state-of-the-art technology, Gronert's lab aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of these lipid mediators, utilizing techniques such as LC/MS/MS-based lipidomics and lipid mediator bioinformatics. His long-term goals include defining the regulation of lipid mediator programs in health and exploring their therapeutic amplification potential in dysregulated diseases. Gronert has discovered that retinal astrocytes release lipoxins that protect retinal ganglion cells from neurotoxic stress. This research highlights the importance of astrocytes in switching to a protective role and demonstrates therapeutic amplification of retinal lipoxins in preventing ganglion cell degeneration in pre-clinical glaucoma models. Currently, he investigates the regulation of a novel retinal lipoxin circuit and its therapeutic potential.
The Mathematics Subject GRE is required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. General GRE is optional.