Her research combines cellular, molecular, biochemical, and genetic approaches to understand normal eye development and how these processes are disrupted in disease states. Retinal degeneration is the leading cause of blindness, and the risk of retinal degeneration increases with age. Unfortunately, these diseases are generally not recognized in patients until irreversible vision loss has occurred, and few effective therapies exist. Therefore, it is essential that scientists establish a fast and effective genetic model system in order to uncover the pathways involved in normal photoreceptor development – such advances will lead to identifying genes that are affected in patients with retinal degenerative diseases, help develop useful diagnostic tools, and aid in developing therapies to prevent further vision loss.