Daniel M. Albert Chair

Bakash Pattnaik, PhD (2024 to present)

Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, McPherson Eye Research Institute

Research Interests

Channelopathies are a group of conditions characterized by nonfunctional ion channels, channels which are essential for normal cell function. Dr. Pattnaik is interested in developing potential treatments for these genetic conditions, including various forms of childhood blindness.  A channelopathy may cause an abnormal gain of function or an abnormal loss of function. Dr. Pattnaik’s lab studies the disease mechanisms resulting from genetic mutations, and then combines advanced gene editing to develop initial animal models and subsequently employ precision medicine to tailor treatments to patients through the use of induced plureopotent patient stem-cells.

To learn more about Dr. Pattnaik’s research, click here to visit his lab’s website.

Melissa Skala, MD (2022-2023)

Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
McPherson Eye Research Institute
Madison, WI

Research Interests

Dr. Skala studies advanced retinal imaging technologies and her lab has developed a new technique, photo-thermal optical coherence tomography, which enables molecular imaging in the retina to detect early changes in tissue that may lead to age-related macular degeneration.

Dr. Skala is an expert in tissue engineering, metabolism, immunology and machine learning, all of which are of vital and growing importance to retina research. Her lab is part of a consortium to evaluate the effects of gene editing in the retina using an imaging technique she developed to assess visual cycle function in retinal cells.

To learn more about Dr. Skala’s research, click here to visit her laboratory website.