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Konstantin Petrukhin is a Professor of Ophthalmic Science at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. His research primarily focuses on the pharmacological inhibition of lipofuscin accumulation in the retina, which is linked to degenerative eye diseases such as atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt’s disease. His lab investigates the cytotoxic effects of the lipofuscin component A2E on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and photoreceptors, aiming to delay visual loss in patients suffering from dry AMD and Stargardt’s disease. Dr. Petrukhin is working on optimizing non-retinoid compounds that inhibit the formation of bisretinoids in the retina and is conducting evaluations of novel drug targets for pharmacological inhibitors of retinal lipofuscinogenesis. He is also focused on protecting photoreceptors from apoptosis, as the loss of these cells is a hallmark of slowly progressing retinal degeneration. Additionally, his lab explores the downregulation of gliotic responses in Müller cells, which play a crucial role in maintaining retinal health by regulating potassium levels and supporting photoreceptor survival. His work seeks to leverage synthetic ligands for nuclear receptors to discover new treatments for atrophic AMD and to evaluate fluorenone drugs for their potential in treating gliotic responses in retinal diseases.
Department of Anthropology (GSAS)