Barbara Braunger

Background

About Barbara Braunger

My current research interests focus on the understanding of the genetic causes and molecular mechanisms leading to neurodegenerative and vascular pathologies in the retina as seen in patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity or age related macular degeneration. To address these topics I use transgenic and conditional knockout mouse models, as well as cell culture systems. I have established a wide range of (ultra-) structural, immunohistological and molecular methods to characterize the phenotype and molecular pathology of existing mouse models. Using the gained deeper understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms I also aim to generate novel mouse models. Furthermore, I use experimentally induced damage like light-induced photoreceptor degeneration, oxygen induced retinopathy or intravitreal NMDA injections to mimic the pathological processes observed in the aforementioned diseases. My main topic during the last years has been the in depth characterization of the functional role of neuroprotective factors like transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and their influence on the developing retina, as well as in the adult eye. This fascinating results inspired me to take a research sabbatical in 2014 and to join the group of Prof. Patricia D’Amore at the Schepens Eye Research Institute (Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA) where I was able to acquire additional skills in the field of angiogenesis. In the future I would like to link my ongoing work on neurodegenerative diseases with the study of the impact of angiogenesis on health and disease.