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Jean Bennett, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology
310 Stellar-Chance/6069
(215) 898-0915 (office) (215) 898-0163 (lab)
fax: (215) 573-7155
email: jebennet@mail.med.upenn.edu
More information
on Dr. Bennett
http://www.med.upenn.edu/camb/faculty/gt/bennett.html
Click here for selected publications since Dr. Bennett's arrival at Penn
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Genetics, pathology and treatment of inherited retinal degenerations.RESEARCH TECHNIQUES
RESEARCH SUMMARY
We are interested in the identification and characterization of genes
that are defective in blinding and currently untreatable hereditary retinal
degenerations such as retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration and choroideremia.
In order to gain an understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms which
lead to these diseases, we generate and study animal models for the diseases.
We are also interested in intervening with the progression of retinal
degeneration by introducing corrective genes or molecules which delay
programmed cell death into the retina. For this purpose, the laboratory
has developed virus-based methods for delivering functional genes into
differentiated retinal photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelial, trabecular
meshwork, iris and corneal endothelial cells. The viruses are being used
to test the possibility of genetic therapy in spontaneous and genetically
engineered animal models with retinal degeneration. Additional studies
focus on the immune system's response to adenovirus-mediated gene delivery
to the retina.
Garrett DuBois, Daniel Chung, Tonia Rex, Jeffrey Bedrosian, Shicheng Yang, Nick Keiser, Jeannette Bennicelli, Waixing Tang, Aatish Patel, Zhangyong Wei
