Vision you can’t see: How the brain senses the time of day

by Nicolai Penafigures by Jasmin Joseph-Chazan Toward the end of the 20th century, the intricate biology of how the eye produces visual information was thought to be well understood– a combination of sensors and circuits in the eye extract features of visual scenes. This information is conveyed from the eye to the brain by specialized neurons that physically connect the two structures (Figure 1, blue). … Continue reading Vision you can’t see: How the brain senses the time of day

Promising results for a treatment for blindness

Progressive blindness has been reversed in two patients with age-related macular degeneration, also known as AMD. AMD is a leading cause of blindness in people over 50. AMD damages the central portion of the retina, called the macula, which decreases vision over time, and can lead to blind spot formation. Phase 1 clinical trial results highlighting the effectiveness of a stem cell-based therapy were published … Continue reading Promising results for a treatment for blindness

Viruses, not all are bad for you

When you think of viruses, the yearly flu or even the Ebola or Swine flu outbreaks may come to mind. However, not all viruses cause disease – some even provide cures! Adeno-associated virus (AAV) can infect humans, but is not known to cause disease. In other words, this virus is good at getting its genetic information (genes) into human cells. What if its genes were … Continue reading Viruses, not all are bad for you