Collynn Woeller

Dr. Collynn Woeller is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and a joint Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She leads the Woeller Lab, which focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular pathways involved in eye disease, with particular emphasis on Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Her research bridges ophthalmology and environmental medicine, exploring how environmental exposures impact ocular health and disease processes.

Dr. Woeller received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology from Cornell University in 2007, following a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from SUNY Geneseo in 2001. She completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Rochester, first in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (2007-2009) and then in the Department of Environmental Medicine (2009-2011).

Dr. Woeller's research program investigates several interconnected areas related to ocular disease pathogenesis. Her primary focus is on Thyroid Eye Disease (TED), an autoimmune condition where orbital tissues become inflamed and remodel to form excessive fat deposits or scar tissue. She studies how autoantibodies activate orbital fibroblasts to form either adipocytes (in type I disease) or scar-forming myofibroblasts (in type II disease). Additionally, her lab investigates scar formation in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy (PVR), a leading cause of recurrent retinal detachments characterized by fibrotic membrane development. Using high-throughput screening approaches, her team identifies novel inhibitors of scarring, while also examining the role of microRNAs in ocular response to injury. Her work has led to patented therapies targeting pathways involved in excessive scar formation and fat accumulation.

Analysis of Dr. Woeller's recent publications reveals a strong focus on molecular pathways in ocular diseases, particularly the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway and its role in thyroid eye disease. Her research demonstrates how environmental factors influence disease processes through molecular mechanisms, with particular attention to fibrosis, adipogenesis, and inflammatory pathways. Many of her recent studies explore therapeutic targets for TED and PVR, including small molecule inhibitors and novel approaches to modulate fibroblast activation.

• F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship (2008-2009)
• Experimental Biology Annual Meeting Graduate Student Research Award (2004)
• Experimental Biology Gene-nutrient interaction RIS Student award (2004)
• Jackson-Ulmer Award Biochemistry Graduate (2001)

Dr. Woeller serves as a primary investigator or co-investigator on multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health and other funding sources. She mentors graduate students including Charkira Patrick (IMV Ph.D. Program) and Phillip Truong (PhD Program in Pathology - Cell Biology of Disease), who are investigating retinoic acid signaling in TED pathophysiology and related areas. Her lab has developed patented therapies targeting adipose tissue accumulation and scarring, demonstrating translational impact from basic research to potential clinical applications.

The Woeller Lab, housed within the University of Rochester's Flaum Eye Institute, employs a multidisciplinary approach to studying ocular disease mechanisms. Current lab members include Principal Investigator Collynn Woeller, Technical Associate Ellie Roztocil, and graduate students Charkira Patrick and Phillip Truong. The lab utilizes advanced techniques including high-throughput screening, molecular biology approaches, and animal models to investigate disease mechanisms and identify novel therapeutic targets for conditions like TED and PVR.