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Aaron Nagiel, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

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Overview

The development and maintenance of specific synaptic connections between retinal neurons is critical to its function. However, our understanding of neural circuit formation in the human retina remains limited. Within the last 10 years it has become possible to grow 3-dimensional, multi-layered retinal organoids derived from human stem cells. This advance permits the study of human retinal development and the establishment of synaptic connectivity. Our goal is to elucidate mechanisms underlying synapse formation and specificity in the first synapse of the human visual system. Access to patient-derived organoids allows us to understand this process in the disease state and following novel treatment paradigms such as gene therapy and cell-based therapy. We utilize a variety of techniques including live fluorescent imaging, electrophysiology, and gene editing in stem cell-derived human retinal organoids. The long-term goal of this work is to understand how synaptic connections are established and maintained in the human nervous system.

Visit our lab website: nagiellab.org

Awards

  • Research to Prevent Blindness: RPB Career Development Award, 2021-2023
  • Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation: Baxter Foundation Fellowship, 2019-2020
  • Allergan FIRST (Fostering Innovative Retina Stars of Tomorrow) Fellowship, 2016-2019
  • Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Foundation Award, 2016-2017
  • Michels Fellowship Foundation: Ronald G. Michels Fellowship, 2016-2017
  • Jules Stein Eye Institute: Excellence in Research Award, 2016
  • Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship, 2015-2016
  • Jules Stein Eye Institute: Pepose-Saltzman Young Investigator ARVO Award, 2014-2015
  • Jules Stein Eye Institute: Excellence in Research Award, 2014
  • Heed Foundation Residents Retreat Participant, 2014
  • ARVO National Eye Institute Travel Grant, 2014
  • Jules Stein Eye Institute: Robert E. Christensen Research Award, 2013
  • The Rockefeller University: Sumi Koide Travel Fellowship, 2010
  • Finalist, Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, 2006
  • John Harvard Scholarship, 2001-2003
  • Harvard University: Detur Prize, 2001

Publications

  • The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on retinopathy of prematurity screening and management in the United States: a multicenter studyJ AAPOS. 2023 Jun; 27(3):137. e1-137. e6. . View in PubMed
  • Classification and Growth Rate of Chorioretinal Atrophy after Voretigene Neparvovec-Rzyl for RPE65-Mediated Retinal Degeneration Ophthalmol Retina. 2023 Sep 03. . View in PubMed
  • A Multicenter Analysis of Nucleic Acid Quantification Using Aqueous Humor Liquid Biopsy in Retinoblastoma: Implications for Clinical Testing Ophthalmol Sci. 2023 Sep; 3(3):100289. . View in PubMed
  • Full-field Scotopic Threshold Improvement after Voretigene Neparvovec-rzyl Treatment Correlates with Chorioretinal Atrophy Ophthalmology. 2023 Jul; 130(7):764-770. . View in PubMed
  • Macular Sling: A Customizable Method for Macular Buckling using Available Elements Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2023 May 22. . View in PubMed
  • Retinal manifestations in autosomal recessive MPDZ maculopathy: report of two cases and literature review Ophthalmic Genet. 2023 Jan 03; 1-5. . View in PubMed
  • Non-synonymous, synonymous, and non-coding nucleotide variants contribute to recurrently altered biological processes during retinoblastoma progression Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 2023 05; 62(5):275-289. . View in PubMed
  • Subretinal deposits in young patients treated with voretigene neparvovec-rzyl for RPE65-mediated retinal dystrophy Br J Ophthalmol. 2023 03; 107(3):299-301. . View in PubMed
  • Benign Lobular Inner Nuclear Layer Proliferations of the Retina Associated with Congenital Hypertrophy of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium Ophthalmology. 2023 03; 130(3):265-273. . View in PubMed
  • Initial Experience With Biosimilar Bevacizumab-bvzr For Intravitreal Use in Children: A Case Series and Literature Review Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2023 02; 54(2):84-88. . View in PubMed
  • Signal Peptide Variants in Inherited Retinal Diseases: A Multi-Institutional Case Series Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Nov 01; 23(21). . View in PubMed
  • Retinal Manifestations of Walker-Warburg Syndrome in Two Siblings with RXYLT1 Mutations Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2022 Aug 24. . View in PubMed
  • VITREOUS HEMORRHAGE IN TYPE 3 GAUCHER DISEASE: AN ANGIOGRAPHIC AND PATHOLOGIC ANALYSIS Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2022 Jul 01; 16(4):414-418. . View in PubMed
  • Neovascularization of the optic disc and peripheral retinal ischemia in a child with a novel variant in ALMS1 (Alström syndrome) Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2022 Jun; 26:101506. . View in PubMed
  • Single vesicle analysis of aqueous humor in pediatric ocular diseases reveals eye specific CD63-dominant subpopulations J Extracell Biol. 2022 Apr; 1(4). . View in PubMed
  • Variability in Plus Disease Diagnosis using Single and Serial Images Ophthalmol Retina. 2022 12; 6(12):1122-1129. . View in PubMed
  • Malignant teratoid intraocular ciliary body medulloepithelioma in a 5-year-old male with corresponding somatic copy number alteration profile of aqueous humor cell-free DNA Ophthalmic Genet. 2022 12; 43(6):855-861. . View in PubMed
  • Perifoveal Chorioretinal Atrophy after Subretinal Voretigene Neparvovec-rzyl for RPE65-Mediated Leber Congenital Amaurosis Ophthalmol Retina. 2022 01; 6(1):58-64. . View in PubMed
  • Development of an improved inhibitor of Lats kinases to promote regeneration of mammalian organs Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 07 12; 119(28):e2206113119. . View in PubMed
  • HUMAN CELLULAR MODELS FOR RETINAL DISEASE: From Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Organoids Retina. 2022 10 01; 42(10):1829-1835. . View in PubMed
  • Inherited Retinal Disease Panels-Caveat Emptor-Truly Know Your Inherited Retinal Disease Panel Retina. 2022 01 01; 42(1):1-3. . View in PubMed
  • Endoscopic vitreoretinal surgery: Review of current applications and future trends Surv Ophthalmol. 2021 Mar-Apr; 66(2):198-212. . View in PubMed
  • Recessive ciliopathy mutations in primary endocardial fibroelastosis: a rare neonatal cardiomyopathy in a case of Alstrom syndrome J Mol Med (Berl). 2021 11; 99(11):1623-1638. . View in PubMed
  • Traumatic Retinal Detachment in Patients with Self-Injurious Behavior: An International Multicenter Study Ophthalmol Retina. 2021 08; 5(8):805-814. . View in PubMed
  • Identification of candidate genes and pathways in retinopathy of prematurity by whole exome sequencing of preterm infants enriched in phenotypic extremes Sci Rep. 2021 03 02; 11(1):4966. . View in PubMed
  • Small-molecule inhibition of Lats kinases may promote Yap-dependent proliferation in postmitotic mammalian tissues Nat Commun. 2021 05 25; 12(1):3100. . View in PubMed
  • Characterization of the Spectrum of Ophthalmic Changes in Patients With Alagille Syndrome Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2021 06 01; 62(7):27. . View in PubMed
  • Characterization and staging of outer plexiform layer development in human retina and retinal organoids Development. 2021 12 01; 148(23). . View in PubMed
  • VISUAL AND ANATOMIC OUTCOMES OF PEDIATRIC ENDOSCOPIC VITRECTOMY IN 326 CASES Retina. 2020 Nov; 40(11):2083-2090. . View in PubMed
  • Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges Retina. 2020 Aug; 40(8):1641-1643. . View in PubMed
  • Focal Scleral Nodule: A New Name for Solitary Idiopathic Choroiditis and Unifocal Helioid Choroiditis Ophthalmology. 2020 11; 127(11):1567-1577. . View in PubMed
  • Precision Therapy for Inherited Retinal Disease: At the Forefront of Genomic Medicine Clin Lab Med. 2020 06; 40(2):189-204. . View in PubMed
  • Late-Onset Retinal Findings and Complications in Untreated Retinopathy of Prematurity Ophthalmol Retina. 2020 06; 4(6):602-612. . View in PubMed
  • Voretigene neparvovec-rzyl for treatment of RPE65-mediated inherited retinal diseases: a model for ocular gene therapy development Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2020 06; 20(6):565-578. . View in PubMed
  • Surgical Techniques for the Subretinal Delivery of Pediatric Gene Therapy Ophthalmol Retina. 2020 06; 4(6):644-645. . View in PubMed
  • Retinal stem cell transplantation: Balancing safety and potential Prog Retin Eye Res. 2020 03; 75:100779. . View in PubMed
  • Ocular Trauma From Toy Guns With Foam Projectiles in 4 Children Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2020 01; 59(1):92-94. . View in PubMed
  • Genotype Phenotype Correlation and Variability in Microcephaly Associated With Chorioretinopathy or Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2020 11 02; 61(13):2. . View in PubMed
  • Bilateral Choroidal Neovascularization and Chorioretinal Anastomosis in Autosomal Recessive Bestrophinopathy J Vitreoretin Dis. 2020 Jan-Feb; 4(1):69-74. . View in PubMed
  • Bilateral retinal detachment after chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy Blood Adv. 2020 05 26; 4(10):2158-2162. . View in PubMed
  • Correspondence Retina. 2019 01; 39(1):e4. . View in PubMed
  • Utility of In Vitro Mutagenesis of RPE65 Protein for Verification of Mutational Pathogenicity Before Gene Therapy JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019 12 01; 137(12):1381-1388. . View in PubMed
  • Gene therapy for RPE65-mediated retinal dystrophies Surv Ophthalmol. 2018 May – Jun; 63(3):445-446. . View in PubMed
  • Endoscopy for Pediatric Retinal Disease Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2018 May-Jun; 7(3):200-207. . View in PubMed
  • EARLY DETECTION OF RETINAL HEMANGIOBLASTOMAS IN VON HIPPEL-LINDAU DISEASE USING ULTRA-WIDEFIELD FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY Retina. 2018 Apr; 38(4):748-754. . View in PubMed
  • Practice Patterns of Endophthalmitis Treatment: An International Survey of Retina Specialists Ophthalmol Retina. 2018 09; 2(9):979-980. . View in PubMed
  • PERIPAPILLARY PACHYCHOROID SYNDROME Retina. 2018 09; 38(9):1652-1667. . View in PubMed
  • SUPERFICIAL AND DEEP CAPILLARY ISCHEMIA AS A PRESENTING SIGN OF RETINAL VASCULOPATHY WITH CEREBRAL LEUKOENCEPHALOPATHY AND SYSTEMIC MANIFESTATIONS Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2018 Fall; 12 Suppl 1:S87-S91. . View in PubMed
  • VITRECTOMY-ASSISTED BIOPSY FOR MOLECULAR PROGNOSTICATION OF CHOROIDAL MELANOMA 2 MM OR LESS IN THICKNESS WITH A 27-GAUGE CUTTER Retina. 2017 Jul; 37(7):1377-1382. . View in PubMed
  • Deformation of Optic Nerve Head and Peripapillary Tissues by Horizontal Duction Am J Ophthalmol. 2017 Feb; 174:85-94. . View in PubMed
  • THE SPECTRUM OF AMALRIC TRIANGULAR CHOROIDAL INFARCTION Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2017 Winter; 11 Suppl 1:S113-S120. . View in PubMed
  • PARANEOPLASTIC VITELLIFORM MACULOPATHY IN THE SETTING OF CHOROIDAL MELANOMA: EVOLUTION OVER ONE YEAR Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2017 Winter; 11 Suppl 1:S7-S10. . View in PubMed
  • ULTRA-WIDEFIELD FUNDUS IMAGING: A Review of Clinical Applications and Future Trends Retina. 2016 Apr; 36(4):660-78. . View in PubMed
  • Subretinal Transplantation of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium for the Treatment of Macular Degeneration: An Assessment at 4 Years Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016 Apr 01; 57(5):ORSFc1-9. . View in PubMed
  • Isolated Zygomycetes Endophthalmitis: A Case Report Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2015 Nov-Dec; 31(6):e145-7. . View in PubMed
  • A Promising Future for Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography JAMA Ophthalmol. 2015 Jun; 133(6):629-30. . View in PubMed
  • Type 3 neovascularization: evolution, association with pigment epithelial detachment, and treatment response as revealed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography Retina. 2015 Apr; 35(4):638-47. . View in PubMed
  • RESOLUTION OF A GIANT PIGMENT EPITHELIAL DETACHMENT WITH HALF-DOSE AFLIBERCEPT Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2015; 9(4):269-72. . View in PubMed
  • Mechanism of retinal pigment epithelium tear formation following intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy revealed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomographyAm J Ophthalmol. 2013 Nov; 156(5):981-988. e2. . View in PubMed
  • Retinopathy of prematurity residency trainingOphthalmology. 2012 Dec; 119(12):2644-5. e1-2. . View in PubMed
  • Thrombophilia in patients with retinoblastoma receiving ophthalmic artery chemosurgery Arch Ophthalmol. 2012 Dec; 130(12):1605-8. . View in PubMed
  • Activity-independent specification of synaptic targets in the posterior lateral line of the larval zebrafish Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Dec 22; 106(51):21948-53. . View in PubMed
  • The transmembrane inner ear (Tmie) protein is essential for normal hearing and balance in the zebrafish Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Dec 15; 106(50):21347-52. . View in PubMed
  • Specificity of afferent synapses onto plane-polarized hair cells in the posterior lateral line of the zebrafish J Neurosci. 2008 Aug 20; 28(34):8442-53. . View in PubMed
  • Small interfering RNA-mediated down-regulation of caveolin-1 differentially modulates signaling pathways in endothelial cells J Biol Chem. 2004 Sep 24; 279(39):40659-69. . View in PubMed

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