The Gamm Laboratory
Faculty > David M. Gamm
David M. Gamm
Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
dgamm@wisc.edu
Organ System/Disease Focus
Eye/retina, retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration
Aligned Research Focus
Human retinal development
Research Description
Inherited and acquired diseases of the retina are a significant cause of incurable vision loss worldwide. Closer to home, I see the impact of retinal degenerative diseases (RDD) on afflicted individuals and their families in my pediatric ophthalmology practice at the University of Wisconsin. As such, our laboratory at the Waisman Center utilizes stem cell technology to study human retinal development in vitro and devise therapeutic applications for RDD. This work has led to the identification, culture, and study of human retinal precursor cells and pigmented epithelial cells.
Our interest lies in comparing the behavior of these specific cell populations under different conditions, using cortical precursor cells as an important control. In addition, we are employing molecular and genetic techniques to manipulate the fates and utility of these cells, thus expanding their potential therapeutic value. Knowledge obtained from these studies is applied to transplantation experiments in animal models of retinal degeneration.
We also use embryonic stem cells to investigate the molecular steps involved in the production of retinal cell types, including photoreceptors. Ultimately, we hope that these efforts will contribute to the development of effective interventions for visually disabling retinal disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.
Selected References
Gamm DM, Wang S, Lu B, Girman S, Holmes T, Bischoff N, Shearer RL, Sauv, Capowski E, Svendsen CN, Lund RD. Protection of Visual Functions by Human Neural Progenitors in a Rat Model of Retinal Disease. PLoS ONE 3:1-10, 2007.
Gamm DM. Envisioning cell-based retinal repair. Cell Science Rev 3(3):16-24, 2007.
Gamm DM, Nelson AN and Svendsen CS. Human retinal progenitor cells grown as neurospheres demonstrate time-dependent changes in neuronal and glial cell fate potential. Ann NY Acad Sci 1049:107-117, 2005.
Albert DM, Nickells RW, Gamm DM, Zimbric ML, Schlamp CL, Lindstrom MJ, Audo I. Vitamin D analogs: A new treatment for retinoblastoma. Ophthalmic Genet 23(3):137-156, 2002.
Gamm DM, Thliveris AT. Implications of genetic analysis in Leber congenital amaurosis [Editorial]. Arch Ophthalmol 119(3): 426-427, 2001.