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Genomics Lab

We are using next-generation DNA-sequencing technologies to analyze whole genomes, in addition to the more traditional whole exome approach, in order to identify the underlying genetic cause to disease. The information gained from these high throughput techniques allows us to better diagnose patients as well as more accurately develop animal models.

In population genetic studies, we also genomics technologies to identify risk factors for eye diseases. We are mapping genes for uveitis, macular dystrophies, and retinal degenerations. Other projects include understanding gene expression patterns during retinal development, corneal inflammation, squamous cell carcinoma, and in specialized eye tissues such as the retinal pigment epithelium and ciliary body.

Projects

Predicting the effects of disease mutations using structural bioinformatics.

News

Oct 16 2019 | Posted In: 20/20 Blog
Palo Alto, CA — A gene therapy clinical trial for Dry Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is beginning at the Byers Eye Institute under the direction of Vinit Mahajan M.D., Ph.D., associate professor and Vice Chair for Research in Ophthalm
Sep 16 2019 | Posted In: 20/20 Blog
Palo Alto, CA – The Molecular Surgery Program in Stanford’s Ophthalmology Department held the first Bay Area Genetic Retinal Disease Case Conference at the 
May 15 2019 | Posted In: 20/20 Blog
Palo Alto, CA – What is genetic testing?
Feb 13 2019 | Posted In: 20/20 Blog
Palo Alto, CA — Byers Eye Institute was recently selected to join the Foundation Fighting Blindness Consortium (FFB).
Nov 13 2018 | Posted In: 20/20 Blog
Palo Alto, CA — When Daniel Machlab, a bioengineering student in the Mahajan lab, started working on large proteomics datasets, he noticed a problem. Conventional software processing resulted in the scattered loss of several data points among the millions of data points identified.
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Publications

Whole-Exome Sequencing of Patients with Posterior Segment Uveitis., Li, Angela S., Velez Gabriel, Darbro Benjamin, Toral Marcus A., Yang Jing, Tsang Stephen H., Ferguson Polly J., Folk James C., Bassuk Alexander G., and Mahajan Vinit B. , Am J Ophthalmol, 2020 Jul 21, (2020)
Novel REEP6 gene mutation associated with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa., Y., Lin, C.L. Xu, G. Velez, J. Yang, A.J. Tanaka, M.P. Breazzano, V.B. Mahajan, J.R. Sparrow, and S.H. Tsang , Doc Ophthalmol. 2020 Feb;140(1):67-75. doi: 10.1007/s10633-019-09719-1. Epub 2019 Sep 19., (2020)
CRISPR Repair Reveals Causative Mutation in a Preclinical Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa: A Brief Methodology, Wu, Wen-Hsuan, Tsai Yi-Ting, Justus Sally, Cho Galaxy Y., Sengillo Jesse D., Xu Yu, Cabral Thiago, Lin Chyuan-Sheng, Bassuk Alexander G., Mahajan Vinit B., et al. , Retinal Gene Therapy, p.191–205, (2018)
Extracellular superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) regulates oxidative stress at the vitreoretinal interface, Wert, Katherine J., Velez Gabriel, Cross Madeline R., Wagner Brett A., Teoh-Fitzgerald Melissa L., Buettner Garry R., McAnany Jason, Olivier Alicia, Tsang Stephen H., Harper Matthew M., et al. , Free Radical Biology and Medicine, (2018)
A novel de novo CAPN5 mutation in a patient with inflammatory vitreoretinopathy, hearing loss, and developmental delay, Velez, Gabriel, Bassuk Alexander G., Schaefer Kellie A., Brooks Brian, Gakhar Lokesh, Mahajan Maryann, Kahn Philip, Tsang Stephen H., Ferguson Polly J., and Mahajan Vinit B. , Molecular Case Studies, p.mcs–a002519, (2018)
Missense mutation in SLIT2 associated with congenital myopia, anisometropia, connective tissue abnormalities, and obesity, Liu, Katherine Y., Sengillo Jesse D., Velez Gabriel, Jauregui Ruben, Sakai Lynn Y., Maumenee Irene H., Bassuk Alexander G., Mahajan Vinit B., and Tsang Stephen H. , Orphanet journal of rare diseases, Volume 13, p.138, (2018)
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