James Peairs: Ophthalmology Experience BACK

Published by AFAR

During my first week and a half in my mentor's laboratory and clinic, I have been able to shadow Dr. Zhang in his ophthalmology clinic as he sees patients with age-related macular degeneration and diabetic maculopathy, two diseases that affect the geriatric population. Recent treatment advances target the growth of new blood vessels underneath the retina by blocking the effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). In the last decade, as these anti-VEGF intraocular injections have been studied, clinicians have begun to wonder why certain patients react to treatment with large reversals of their vision loss, while others seem to have a more muted response. In his laboratory, I have participated in experiments to help elucidate if there are genetic determinants that drive these differing responses.  Dr. Zhang has collected blood samples from consenting patients, and they are divided into those patients who respond well to treatment, and those who do not. DNA is collected from the blood, and this DNA is analyzed at certain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs or "snips") that differ in the population to see if there are any SNPs that predict treatment response.

Dr. Zhang believes that within 5-10 years, doctors will be able to access a patient's full genome and select treatments that work best for a patient's genotype. I have only been in his laboratory for a little more than a week, but I already feel like I'm on the cutting edge of medicine that might one day help a person keep their eyesight and their independence.

James Peairs
Boston University School of Medicine

 

"Diary of an MSTAR Student" follows scholars in the 2011 Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program, highlighting their summer experiences. As they continue their path of research, training and clinical practice, read their daily thoughts at www.afar.org/mstarblog. New diary entries are posted every day, so check back soon.