Christie Kang
Graduate Student (MSTP)
Trainee, VBST Program
Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Contact
Building & Room:
COMRB 2160
Email:
Advisor Heading link
Jan Kitajewski, PhD
VBST Trainee Heading link
2023-24
Project Heading link
Mentors: Jan Kitajewski, PhD and Alexandra Naba, PhD
Vascularization of the eye is a highly regulated process, with the cornea remaining avascular and the retina developing and maintaining a highly structured vascular network. Disruption of these processes are involved in pathologies such as corneal neovascularization and retinopathy of prematurity, which both involve upregulation of inflammatory cytokines. Previous work in the lab has demonstrated the importance of Notch4 signaling in endothelial inflammation and pathological neovascularization. The goal of my project is to determine the unique role of endothelial Notch4 signaling that is distinct from Notch1 signaling in both corneal neovascularization and hypoxia-driven retinopathies.