Jean Bennett, MD, PhD
F.M. Kirby Professor of Ophthalmology
Department: Ophthalmology
Graduate Group Affiliations
Contact information
310 Stellar-Chance Labs
422 Curie Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
422 Curie Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: (215) 898-0915
Fax: (215) 573-7155
Fax: (215) 573-7155
Email:
jebennet@mail.med.upenn.edu
jebennet@mail.med.upenn.edu
Publications
Education:
B.S. (Honors Biology)
Yale University , 1976.
Ph.D. (Zoology; Cell and Developmental Biology)
University of California at Berkley, 1980.
M.D.
Harvard University, 1986.
B.S. (Honors Biology)
Yale University , 1976.
Ph.D. (Zoology; Cell and Developmental Biology)
University of California at Berkley, 1980.
M.D.
Harvard University, 1986.
Links
Search PubMed for articles
Neuroscience graduate group faculty webpage.
F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology web site
Cell and Molecular Biology graduate group faculty webpage.
Permanent linkSearch PubMed for articles
Neuroscience graduate group faculty webpage.
F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology web site
Cell and Molecular Biology graduate group faculty webpage.
Description of Research Expertise
Research Interests- Molecular genetics of retinal degenerations.
- Gene therapy-mediated treatment of ocular disease.
Key words: Retina, Neovascularization, Neuronal Degeneration, Gene Therapy, Viral Vector, AAV, Lentivirus, Adenovirus, Vision, Animal Models, Eye, Immune Response.
Description of Research
Jean Bennett studies the molecular genetics of inherited retinal degenerations with the idea of using this knowledge to develop rational approaches for treatment of these diseases. Target diseases include retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration. Studies in her laboratory range for identifying the molecular bases of retinal degenerations, generating animal models for these diseases and rescuing vision in animal models through gene based treatments. Dr. Bennett was one of the first investigators to use viral vectors to deliver transgenes to specific cells in the retina and also led the first team to demonstrate proof-of-principle of ocular gene therapy. She has developed a number of strategies for gene therapy-mediated treatments for retinal disease. Dr. Bennett's work leads naturally to translational research. For example, a study conducted in her lab and with collaborators at UPenn, Cornell and University of Florida led to a remarkable reversal of blindness in a canine model of a blinding disease affecting infants. This treatment is currently being tested in human clinical trials. Additional studies are targeting the blindness and deafness found in Usher's Syndrome.
Rotation Projects for 2009-2010
Gene therapy for an inherited retinal degeneration; Gene therapy for retinal neovascularization; Generation of a mouse model for an inherited macular degeneration; Gene therapy for Leber Congenital Amaurosis, Gene Therapy for autosomal recessive Stargartd Disease; Immune response to subretinal readministration of gene therapy vectors
Lab personnel:
Pyroja Sulaiman
Karen Revere
Sohani Amarasekera
Therese Cronin
Omar Butt
Matthew Canver
Debbie Cheng
Daniel Chung
Jeannette Bennicelli
Zhangyong Wei
Arkady Lyubarsky
Jessica Morgan
Albert Maguire
Defne Amado
Jessica Heidenberg
Description of Clinical Expertise
Translational research on retinal degenerationsSelected Publications
Anand, V, Zeng, Y., Brunsmann, F., Maguire, A.M., Seabra, M.C. and Bennett, J.: Gene Therapy for Choroideremia: In Vitro Rescue Mediated by Recombinant Adenovirus. Vision Research 43: 919-26, 2003.Reich, SJ, Auricchio, A, Hildinger, M, Glover, E, Maguire, AM, Wilson, JM, Bennett J: Efficient trans-splicing in the retina expands the utility of adeno-associated virus as a vector for gene therapy Human Gene Therapy 14: 37-44, 2003.
Reich, SJ and Bennett, J: “Gene therapy for ocular neovascularization: a cure in sight,” Curr. Opinion Genetics Development 13: in press 2003.
Rex, TS, Bennett, J, Maguire, AM, Dunaief, JL: Adeno-catalase protects the Balb/c mouse retina from light damage. ARVO 2003.
Hsu, J, Hahn, P, Lindsten, T, Ying, G-S, Tolentino, M, Bennett, J, Milam, AH, Thompson, CB, Dunaief. : Bax and Bak are essential, overlapping mediators of apoptotic developmental regression of the hyaloid vasculature and of retinal neurons including photoreceptors. ARVO 2003.
Chen, L, Dentchev, T, Wong, R, Zeng, Y, Hahn, P, Wan, J, Wen, R, Baldwin, D, Bennett, J, Daunaief, JL. : Increased expression of ceruloplasmin in the retina following photic injury. ARVO 2003.
Kuroki, A, Dejneka, NS, Fosnot, J, Tolentino, MJ, Bennett, J.: “Rapamycin inhibits retinal and choroidal neovascularization,” ARVO 2003.
Tolentino, MJ, Reich, SJ, Fosnot, J, Tang, W, Kuroki, A, Maguire, AM and Bennett, J: “Effective in vivo delivery of siRNAs to murine retinal pigment epithelial cells,” ARVO 2003.
Fosnot, J, Reich, SJ, Yang, X, Tang, W, Kuroki, A, Bennett, J, Tolentino, MJ : “VEGF directed siRNA inhibits hypoxia induced VEGF upregulation in vitro,” ARVO 2003.
Reich, SJ, Kuroki, A, Fosnot, J, Yang, X, Maguire, AM, Bennett, J and Tolentino, MJ: “VEGF directed siRNA inhibits experimental choroidal neovascularization,” ARVO 2003.