Yi-Rong Peng, Ph.D.

Peng uses high-throughput genetic and molecular tools to identify the genetic codes that mediate retinal development and examines pathogenic mechanisms that cause retinal degeneration. She has leveraged advanced transcriptomic methods to make significant discoveries regarding key transcriptional factors that mediate the morphology and function of specific retinal cell types. 

She has also developed techniques for dissociating retinal cells and enriching different cell types for scRNA-seq, resulting in comprehensive molecular profiles of retinal cell types from various mammalian species, including mice, ferrets, marmosets, macaques and humans. This work has been critical to understanding foveal formation and the pathogenesis of macular defects. 

The ultimate goal of Peng’s research is to lay the foundation for treatments to prevent or mitigate vision loss caused by retinal neurodegeneration or human blinding diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. She hopes these efforts will make a lasting impact on the field of visual science and ultimately improve the lives of those affected by visual impairments.