About Us » FFB Funded Researchers
James F. McGinnis, Ph.D.
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James F. McGinnis, Ph.D. is professor of Ophthalmology and Cell Biology at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center. He is also Associate Director of the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience and Director of the DMEI/NEI Image Acquisition and Analysis Core Facility. Dr. McGinnis came to the Dean A. McGee Eye Institute in 1997 from his positions as Professor in the departments of Neurobiology and Psychiatry at UCLA. He earned his Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo and completed two years of Postdoctoral Studies at the Mental Retardation Research Center at UCLA. Dr. McGinnis’ research focuses on the mechanisms underlying retinal diseases and the development of the therapeutic use of specific (Nanoceria) nanoparticles to preserve vision by protectin against the effects of blinding diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration and hereditary blindness. He has made significant contributions to the study of photoreceptor specific genes, light-dependent protein translocation in visual cells and the use of rodent models of human eye diseases to demonstrate the efficacy of Nanoceria particles in protecting vision. His overall objective is to preserve vision and extend the quality of life for patients with blinding diseases by demonstrating that the Nanoceria particles actually work as well in humans as they do in the animal models. Dr. McGinnis has published widely in the scientific literature, having written over 90 articles and chapters. He has been funded throughout his career by multiple funding agencies including the NIH Heart and Lung Institute, National Institute for Child Health and Development, Alzheimer Foundation, the March of Dimes and the National Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation. He currently has support from the National Eye Institute, the National Science Foundation, Research to Prevent Blindness, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. |
