10/10/25

I recently attended the ISER–BrightFocus Glaucoma Symposium in Atlanta, where I presented my research poster and was grateful to receive a travel award. The meeting brought together an exceptional group of scientists working at the frontiers of glaucoma research, and it was an energizing environment to share ideas and learn from leaders in the field.

09/08/25

I am honored to share that I have been awarded the NIH/NEI K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award to support my research on glia–immune interactions in the optic nerve during glaucoma. This award will help me continue building an independent research program focused on understanding, and ultimately protecting, the neural pathways essential for vision. I am deeply grateful to my mentors, colleagues, collaborators, and advisors for their continued guidance and support. Their input and encouragement have been essential at every stage of this work.

05/07/25

My abstract was selected for a platform presentation at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the session Glaucoma: Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration. I presented my work to an expert audience, and the session concluded with a lively Q&A during which many insightful questions were raised and addressed. Many thanks to the organizers and to the colleagues who provided thoughtful feedback.

04/25/25

I presented my work at the Bay Area Young Investigators Research Conference (BYIRC) at Stanford University in 2025. My talk, “Macroglia-specific 15-Lipoxygenase Regulates OHT-induced Neurodegeneration and Microglia-mediated Neuroinflammation in the Optic Nerve,” described new data showing that macroglial 15-lipoxygenase expression modulates neurodegeneration caused by ocular hypertension (OHT) and shapes microglia-driven inflammatory responses in the optic nerve. The presentation was very well received by the panel, and it was followed by an engaging question session that sparked lively discussion. Many thanks to the organizers and to everyone who attended and contributed thoughtful feedback.

11/20/24

NEW PAPER ALERT: Excited to share my postdoc work published in Molecular Neurodegeneration! 👁️ 😀 https://rdcu.be/d0Ws0
Healthy microglia are essential, but their ability to switch from an inflamed to a healthy state is transformative. In the glaucoma model, we reveal how this shift occurs in the optic nerve, driven by a small lipid mediator. Using a novel tool to analyze microglia morphology, we uncovered a unique microglia phenotype induced exclusively in the optic nerve during glaucomatous damage, not in the retina. Excitingly, this phenotype was suppressed by a neuroprotective lipid molecule, revealing a novel mechanism for neuroprotection! The work was funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), BrightFocus Foundation, and Glaucoma Research Foundation.

10/25/24

I had a fantastic experience attending the XXVI Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Eye Research in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was honored to present my work, “Regulation of Homeostatic and Disease-Associated Microglia Phenotypes in the Optic Nerve by LXB₄: A Potential Target for Neuroprotection,” in the session on New Therapeutic Targets for Retinal Ganglion Cell Neuroprotection, organized by Dr. Jeremy Sivak from the University of Toronto. The session was packed with cutting-edge science and inspiring discussions. Beyond the science, I thoroughly enjoyed the vibrant Tango event with the Sivak lab, making the experience even more memorable!

5/15/24

This year ARVO was special because I had the opportunity to give two talks. Invited speaker for the Vice president’s session: Next-gen researchers in ocular immunology, and other a paper submission abstract. Both talks were well appreciated by the audience as well as the moderators.

4/19/24

I had an exciting opportunity to present my work titled “Lipoxin B₄ regulates disease-associated microglia in the myelinated optic nerve during ocular hypertension” at The Bay Area Young Investigators Research Conference that took place at Stanford’s campus in Palo Alto on April 12th, 2024.

1/31/24

As a part of the Science and Training Fellowship from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), On January 25th, 2024, I represented Berkeley at the ARVO’s Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC.

5/2/2023

I was awarded The Thomas Lee Award from BrightFocus Foundation. Thomas R. Lee was a farmer, businessman, investor, real estate developer and philanthropist. Motivated by his battle with glaucoma, Lee bequeathed a significant gift to ensure continuous funding for research. This award is presented annually to the top-rated Fellowship proposal in National Glaucoma Research that makes significant contributions to his vision for a world without glaucoma.

5/2/2023

I was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from BrightFocus Foundation for my research on the regulation of microglia phenotype by Lipoxin B₄ during ocular hypertension.