Dr. Nan Kai Wang

Biography

Nan-Kai Wang, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Ophthalmic Sciences at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. His research focuses on mitochondrial function and cellular metabolism in relation to apoptosis, particularly regarding therapies for retinitis pigmentosa and retinal ganglion cell degeneration through mitochondrial reprogramming. Dr. Wang completed his M.D. at National Taiwan University and underwent residency in Ophthalmology followed by a vitreoretinal fellowship at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. He later joined Columbia University as a postdoctoral fellow, where he became an expert in genetics and inherited retinal dystrophies. His most notable work includes functional rescue in mouse models of retinitis pigmentosa using differentiated mouse embryonic stem cells. Dr. Wang has published over 130 peer-reviewed articles and is an editor for Scientific Reports and Ophthalmic Genetics. His recent research projects involve genome engineering using CRISPR/Cas9 to study mitochondrial roles in inherited retinal dystrophies. He was elected as an active member of the Macula Society in 2014 and has received several accolades including the 2017 Alcon Paper Award. Dr. Wang’s laboratory is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Research Interests

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Awards