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The Center for Translational Vision Research Distinguished Speaker Series, also known as "Friday Seminars" showcases innovative research across the world. The seminar series has now been expanded to include lectures by experts on topics ranging from Ophthalmology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Neurobiology, Imaging, Computational Sciences to Novel Ophthalmic Treatments.
Learn More About the Distinguished Speaker Series
Dr. Jesse Schallek is assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Flaum Eye Institute at the University of Rochester, NY. He also holds joint appointments in the department of Neuroscience and is a member of the Center for Visual Science. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering from Syracuse University and a PhD in Neuroscience from SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2010. His postdoctoral research focused on developing adaptive optics technology at the University of Rochester training with David Williams, PhD. Dr. Schallek’s laboratory develops and deploys new imaging technologies to study single cell blood flow in the living retinae of humans and animal models. By combining high resolution adaptive optics imaging with high frame rate camera capture, a central focus is to better resolve and thus better image mechanisms of blood flow dysfunction noninvasively through the eye. This provides direct benefit to diagnosis and treatment retinal diseases; and may also in the near future, provide insight to whole body systemic health through the optics of the eye. In the early stages of his career, Dr. Schallek has been honored with several awards including: The Dana Foundation- David Mahoney Neuroimaging Award, the Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development Award as well as training awards from the Ruth Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) and recognition as an Edmund Optics Higher Education Grant Program Finalist. Dr. Schallek holds several patents and provisional filings on his adaptive optics technology and has received spotlight and editors picks designation on his recent papers focused on blood flow determination in the retina. He is grateful for funding by five national competitive research grants to support his research.
Our lab investigates blood flow in the living eye by using a specialized camera called an Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) to correct for small imperfections of the optics of the eye. Once corrected, we can image the microscopic integrity of the smallest vessels that are ten-times thinner than a human hair. Additionally, capturing videos of this tissue enables study of the movement of single blood cells flowing within this network. We are developing and applying this cutting-edge technology to study blood flow in the retina in conditions of health and disease. These advances are critical for studying neural cells that line the back of our eyes are sensitive to light and initiate our ability to see. These cells are among the most metabolically active tissues in the human body and are nourished by a dense network of capillaries that circulate blood to deliver nutrients and remove waste products from these hard-working cells. We use and develop adaptive optics eye cameras to study the dysfunction of this neural-vascular system associates with a variety of retinal diseases and collectively gives rise to the leading cause of blindness in the developed world.