Lev Prasov

Lev Prasov is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Department of Human Genetics at the University of Michigan's School of Medicine. He is a practicing ophthalmologist with fellowship training in ophthalmic genetics and inherited retinal diseases. His clinical focus includes inherited ocular conditions, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Research interests center on genetic risk factors and pathophysiology of inherited eye disorders, including glaucoma and nanophthalmos. Key contributions include discovering MYRF's role in retinal pigment epithelium development and identifying DDX58/RIG-I variants linked to juvenile glaucoma and Singleton-Merten syndrome. Collaborations include work with Michelle Kahlenberg and Pawan Singh on disease mechanisms and targeted therapies.

Education and Training: Completed Ophthalmic Genetics Clinical Fellowship at NIH (2019), Ophthalmology residency at University of Michigan (2018), and Transitional Year Residency (2015). He teaches undergraduate chemistry, graduate human genetics courses, and supervises medical students and trainees. Current advisees include PhD students William Presley and Gabrielle Rozumek, and MS student Fatima Traore.

Research Overview: Focuses on transcriptional control in eye development, genetic determinants of glaucoma, and innate immune pathways in disease. His lab uses mouse models, single-cell RNA sequencing, and multi-omics approaches. Notable projects include studying MYRF-related syndromes and developing gene therapy strategies for corneal dystrophies.

Recent Publications (2023-2025): Highlight discoveries in MYRF's role in retinal development, RPAP3's association with normal-pressure glaucoma, and prenatal diagnosis challenges in MYRF-related cardiac-urogenital syndromes. Collaborative work includes analyzing PNPLA6 disorders and optimizing AAV-mediated gene therapy.

Awards and Grants: Received a Research Scouts grant (2023) for innovative projects. Involved in establishing the Wadhams Family Center for Children’s Vision at the Kellogg Eye Center to advance congenital eye disease research and care.

Labs/Teams: Leads an interdisciplinary team focused on ophthalmic genetics, collaborating with researchers in immunology, developmental biology, and clinical care. Active in multidisciplinary clinics for genetic eye disorders.