Dean Bok

Dean Bok is a Professor in the Departments of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine and the Jules Stein Eye Institute. His research focuses on retinal cell and molecular biology with emphasis on retinoid metabolism and photoreceptor-RPE interactions.

His work investigates retinoid uptake and processing mechanisms in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), molecular pathways of retinal degeneration including retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration, and photoreceptor-RPE interactions in health and disease. Dr. Bok employs advanced techniques such as electron microscopy, laser confocal imaging, autoradiography, and transgenic mouse models to study these processes.

Analysis of Dr. Bok's recent publications reveals consistent focus on retinal disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions, with particular emphasis on vitamin A metabolism, lipofuscin accumulation, and neuroprotective strategies. His work bridges basic molecular research with translational applications for inherited and age-related retinal disorders.

Dr. Bok's laboratory (B-182) at the Jules Stein Eye Institute has made seminal contributions including the discovery of photoreceptor outer segment disc shedding and RPE phagocytosis, identification of retinoid transport receptors, and development of transgenic mouse models for human retinal diseases.