معرفی
Irina Pikuleva is the Carl F. Asseff Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She holds secondary appointments in Pharmacology and is a Professor at the Cardiovascular Research Institute. She directs the Visual Sciences Research Center, focusing on cholesterol maintenance in the retina and brain. Her work explores how pharmacological modulation of cholesterol pathways could address retinal and neurological disorders.
Research Interests: Dr. Pikuleva’s lab investigates cholesterol metabolism in the eye and brain, linking excess cholesterol to diseases like Alzheimer’s, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Key areas include retinal cholesterol homeostasis (using hamster models and genetically modified mice) and brain cholesterol regulation via CYP46A1 enzyme modulation.
Publications: Her work spans cholesterol-metabolizing enzymes, neurodegenerative disease mechanisms, and retinal pathology. Recent studies explore CYP46A1 activators for Alzheimer’s and cholesterol’s role in diabetic retinopathy.
Labs/Teams: Leads the Visual Sciences Research Center and collaborates within the Cardiovascular Research Institute, utilizing advanced techniques like SD-OCT, mass spectrometry, and omics approaches. Active in translational research bridging basic science and clinical applications.
