Dr. Marina Gorbatyuk's lab focuses on developing new therapies for diabetic retinopathy, a significant cause of vision loss in adults. The lab is investigating the use of small molecules called RXR agonists, which can target damaged retinal cells and may help reduce inflammation and improve lipid metabolism in the retina. By using innovative drug delivery methods directly to the retina, the lab aims to create sustainable treatments for this condition and understand how these treatments work at both the cellular and molecular levels.

Dr. W Todd Lowther's lab at Wake Forest University focuses on understanding how certain compounds in our diet contribute to kidney problems, especially in patients with primary hyperoxaluria. The lab is working on developing new drugs that can block the breakdown of hydroxyproline, a component of collagen, which can lead to the production of harmful oxalates and kidney stones. Their innovative approach combines laboratory experiments with computational techniques to design effective treatments and explore how these new drugs work at a molecular level.