Sai Nair, Ph.D.
I received my Ph.D in Biochemistry from University of Mumbai, India. Before joining the John laboratory, I was a Postdoc in the laboratory of Dr. Vladlen Slepak at the University of Miami. My research focused on factors regulating phototransduction with emphasis on understanding the mechanism underlying light dependent translocation of signaling proteins. I joined the John laboratory as a postdoc in 2005 and have progressed to a Research Scientist position. This position allows me to become more independent and to obtain my first external grant.
My current projects focus on identifying factors regulating intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Although, IOP elevation is an important risk factor for glaucoma, very little is known about its etiology. I am using various mouse models of glaucoma to tackle this issue. In the John laboratory, I have learned to use clinical and physiological ocular examinations and different aspects of mouse genetics and genomics to identify genes and pathways regulating IOP elevation. My goal in one project is to understand the potential role of immune components in determining susceptibility for pigment dispersion to progress to high IOP in DBA/2J mice. This project is relevant to human pigmentary glaucoma. In people, pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) results in deposition of abnormally liberated iris pigment into the aqueous humor drainage pathway. In some but not all cases, PDS progresses to high IOP and causes pigmentary glaucoma. DBA/2J mice have pigment dispersion, mild intraocular inflammation and develop high IOP.
Grant title and agency: “Determining Immune Components of DBA/2J Glaucoma”
National Glaucoma Research Program of the American Health Assistance Foundation.
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