Steven H DeVries

Steven H DeVries, MD, PhD is the David Shoch, MD, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, with joint appointments in the Department of Ophthalmology and the Neuroscience program. He is an active researcher with significant contributions to understanding retinal function and visual processing.

His educational background includes:

• BA from Tulane University (1981)
• PhD from University of Chicago (1988)
• MD from University of Chicago (1991)

Dr. DeVries' research focuses on the neural mechanisms of vision, particularly at the retinal level. His work investigates synaptic transmission in the retina, with special emphasis on photoreceptor synapses, glutamate signaling, and the cellular mechanisms underlying visual processing. His laboratory employs advanced techniques including super-resolution imaging, pathway tracing using rabies virus, and 3D retinal models to uncover fundamental principles of retinal function.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on retinal circuitry and synaptic mechanisms. His work explores how photoreceptors communicate with downstream neurons, the role of specific ion channels in visual processing, and the organization of neural circuits that enable motion detection and other visual functions. These studies employ cutting-edge methodologies to address fundamental questions in visual neuroscience.

His scientific achievements have been recognized with several prestigious awards:

• International Travel Award, RPB (2021)
• Brian Boycott Prize at the FASEB Science Research Conference on Retinal Neurobiology and Visual Processing (2018)

Dr. DeVries has secured significant research funding, including a $75,000 International Research Collaborators Award from Research to Prevent Blindness to support international collaborations. His laboratory, which is noted as "the only lab making the rabies virus at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine," works in collaboration with scientists at Feinberg, the University of Chicago, and Ritsumeikan University in Japan. His research has contributed to important discoveries, including the identification of new retinal neuron subtypes and novel synaptic mechanisms within the retina.

His laboratory focuses on advanced retinal research using innovative approaches such as super-resolution imaging of retinal synapses, pathway tracing in the retina using rabies virus, and growing 3D retinas from ground squirrel stem cells. This work contributes to understanding fundamental visual processes and has implications for developing targeted therapeutics for vision-related diseases.