- The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute is part of the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology, which contains research labs, a clinic for vision impairment patients, and educational programs for medical students and residents. I am an LHSI intern in Dr. Ashay Bhatwadekar’s lab, which focuses on diabetic retinopathy, retinal Müller cell dysfunction, and the effects of disrupted circadian rhythm on vision. My research project involves studying the effects of type 2 diabetes (T2D) medication, dapagliflozin, on human retinal endothelial cells. Endothelial cells line blood vessels, and the retina is a layer of tissue found in the back part of the eye. The retina converts light into chemical signals that are sent to the brain to produce images (vision). Studies have shown that a similar medication, canagliflozin, inhibits endothelial cell proliferation (an increase of the number of cells) and blood vessel formation. Dapagliflozin is a medication used for managing T2D that lowers the amount of glucose in the blood by excreting excess glucose in urine. The purpose of my project is to determine whether dapagliflozin has any effect on the proliferation and viability of human retinal endothelial cells.
- My project impacts patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy who might be prescribed dapagliflozin to manage their type 2 diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes in which high blood glucose levels cause damage to the blood vessels of the retina. I'm using cells from this exact region that is affected by diabetic retinopathy and the goal is to analyze any effects of the medication on the cells.