Ophthalmic BioBank

Our Ophthalmic Biobank is the first database to specifically bank tissue from patients with a wide variety of vision disorders. A biobank allows for the collection of large numbers of samples of rare diseases. From these tissues, subsequent targeted research can be directed as new technology becomes available. The samples have no patient-identifying demographics making a safe repository of valuable data that opens the door for researchers with specific interests and skill to study these diseases.

An example of how a large biobank database helps improve research was our discovery that a specific gene expression pathway, seen in the inherited eye disease Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy, is also involved with premature birth.  Newer technologies allow for even more associations between vision-threatening diseases and genetic pathways using Next-Gen Sequencing, done at the Pediatric Retina Research Laboratory at Oakland University.  Whole genome sequencing will lead to uncovering clues in the DNA/genes of children and adults impacted by hereditary retinal conditions.