Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski continues to make breakthroughs in his efforts to treat eye diseases through his research at the University of California, Irvine.
Palczewski leads the Center for Translational Vision Research at the school’s Gavin Herbert Eye Institute and his published research has been cited more than 54,000 times.
In last year’s spring issue of the scientific journal Nature, Palczewski and his team published a study illustrating a treatment for inherited retinal disease through genomic base editing. This method uses technology to introduce a single mutation in DNA to prevent deterioration.
A more recent milestone in his venture to cure blindness was a study published in May led by Palczewski and fellow UCI researchers.
The team discovered that stress resilience-enhancing drugs can be another potential treatment for age-related retinal diseases.
According to the paper’s abstract, these therapeutic drugs can make the cells in the degenerating retina stronger in dealing with “acute and chronic forms of stress” which can help in preventing causes of blindness and other diseases.
As the current director of the eye institute, Palczewski wants to make UCI the principal place for ophthalmology and eye health.
“We believe UCI can be the best place for research in the world,” Palczewski said. “The one place to eliminate blindness.”
Since Palczewski was awarded a Business Journal’s Innovator of the Year Award last fall, he has contributed to at least four more published studies and articles, received more accolades and continued his efforts to educate others on his research.
In February, the doctor received the 2023 Anatrace Membrane Protein Award from the Biophysical Society for his work in membrane protein research. In June, Palczewski traveled overseas to deliver a lecture at the University College London’s (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology and speak at Oxford University as well among other stops in Europe.
Earlier this month, Palczewski was selected for the 2023-2024 Distinguished Senior Faculty Award for Research by UCI’s Academic Senate for advancing the understanding of the retina and bringing “great credit to the university.”
“Science and education are investments,” Palczewski told the Business Journal. “How are we going to have innovation and discovery? How are we going to improve our health systems and treatments?”
Palczewski sees his research papers as a type of public conversation to better the understanding the challenges and potential solutions to eye diseases.
“Eventually, for society, it doesn’t matter whether that invention is done here or somewhere else,” he said. “We want the progress—it doesn’t matter who invented it.”
