University of Iowa · PhysiologyThe Glaucoma Genetics Lab
Michael G Anderson · Iowa City, Iowa
Research Focus
Dr. Michael Anderson's lab focuses on understanding the genetic factors that contribute to glaucoma, a serious eye disease that can lead to permanent blindness. The lab investigates specific genetic variations linked to glaucoma risk and how they affect the health of retinal cells. By utilizing human tissues and mouse models, the research aims to unravel the mechanisms behind glaucoma to develop new treatments that go beyond lowering eye pressure.
glaucomagenetic risk factorsretinal ganglion cellsGWASgene expressionneurodegenerationAlzheimer's diseasesight-saving therapies
Research Aims
3AIM 01Identify how genetic variants affect gene expression and protein levels in human retinal tissue.
AIM 02Manipulate expression of candidate genes in mice to study their role in retinal ganglion cell health.
AIM 03Characterize the pathways and mechanisms that underlie familial glaucoma risk factors.
Skills the Lab Values
genome-wide association studies (GWAS)single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq)immunohistochemistry (IHC)ELISAviral vector designmouse modelsgene expression manipulationtranscriptional regulationmolecular biology techniques
Output against the department
Publications203top 32% of dept.91st of 286
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.9ktop 48% of dept.136th of 286
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.