James T. Handa

This paper identifies an AKT1-TERT-FOXO3-MYC transcriptional complex that drives ERphagy and proteostasis in post-mitotic RPE cells under stress.

This study compares the molecular effects of prenatal nicotine exposure and maternal smoking during pregnancy on mouse brain development and adulthood, finding distinct gene expression changes in pups but not adults.

This paper provides a standardized protocol for isolating and characterizing extracellular vesicles from mouse retinal tissue, improving the study of in vivo EV biology.

This study shows that dietary serine reduces ROS accumulation and improves retinal function in AMD by restoring mitochondrial function and GSH levels through PHGDH regulation.

This study shows that disrupting the internal limiting membrane enhances the survival and functional integration of transplanted human retinal ganglion cells in the retina.

This study identifies a diet-induced metabolic-immune axis linking gut microbiome changes to systemic immune aging and retinal degeneration in mice and AMD patients.

This study shows cigarette smoke and aging induce degenerative heterogeneity in RPE cells through distinct epigenetic changes, with young RPE showing compensatory responses not seen in aged RPE.

The paper investigates immune alterations in early AMD, finding elevated NK cell activity and reduced adenosine, suggesting immune imbalance drives disease progression.

This study uses scRNA-Seq to analyze human and mouse retinal development, identifying conserved and species-specific gene expression patterns and a novel role for ATOH7 in photoreceptor specification.

This study identifies global decreases in chromatin accessibility in AMD patients, linking epigenetic changes to disease progression and suggesting HDAC11 as a potential therapeutic target.