Michael E Boulton, Ph.D.

Professor
Anatomy and Cell Biology
email: meboulton@ufl.edu
phone: (352) 273-8546


Major Teaching Responsibilities - Research Interests - Research Projects - References - Biosketch

Major Teaching Responsibilities

  • Director, Molecular Cell Biology Graduate Concentration
  • GMS 6692 - Research Conference in Anatomy and Cell Biology
  • GMS 6690 - Journal Club

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Research Interests

The group has two main research areas, age-related changes in the retina and retinal neovascularization.

Age-related changes in the retina
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the major cause of blindness in the elderly. 10 million people have reduced vision due to age-related macular degeneration in the US; 1.7 million of the 34 million Americans over age 65 have visual impairment due to AMD. The laboratory is researching age-related changes in the retina associated with light damage to the RPE, the photoreactivity of chromophores (lipofuscin, melanin, cytochrome C) within the retina, dysfunction of the RPE lysosomal system, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy and neural plasticity in the aged retina. Among the many studies in this area the group has research projects investigating the use of nanotechnology to eliminate lipofuscin from the aged eye, the contribution of mitochondrial dysfunction to AMD and stem cell repair of the damaged retina.

Retinal neovascularization
Aberrant neovascularization of the retina is associated with diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration and is a significant cause of vision loss. The laboratory is currently focusing on the role of the VEGF signaling pathway and in particular the regulatory role of VEGFR-1. We have also recently demonstrated the importance of γ-secretase in providing an alternative signaling pathway. Research projects include characterization of the pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF) signaling pathway, targeting γ-secretase in the regulation of angiogenesis, investigating the role of endothelial progenitor cells in vascular repair, and developing new strategies for the regulation of angiogenesis.

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Research Projects

  • Targeting γ-secretase activation for anti-angiogenesis.
  • A Nanomedicine Strategy for the Removal of Lipofuscin from the RPE.
  • Novel mechanisms and therapies targeting dysfunctional endothelium.
  • Circulating progenitors determine angiogenic outcome in diabetic retinopathy.
  • Bioresponsive polymer therapeutics; synthesis and characterisation of novel biomedicines.
  • Retinal plasticity in experimental glaucoma.
  • Is age-related macular degeneration less common in light-protected populations?

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References

  1. Boulton, M.E., Cai, J., Grant, M.B. (2008) γ-secretase: A multifaceted regulator of angiogenesis. J Cell Mol Med 12:781-795.
  2. Cai, J, Kehoe, O., Smith, G.M., Hykin, P., Boulton, M.E. (2008) The angiopoietin/Tie-2 system regulates pericyte survival and recruitment in diabetic retinopathy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 49:2163-2171.
  3. Wu M, Chen Y, Wilson K, Chirindel A, Ihnat M, Yu Y, Boulton ME, Szweda LI, Ma JX, Lyons TJ. (2008) Intra-retinal Leakage and Oxidation of LDL in Diabetic Retinopathy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 49: 2679-2685.
  4. Rozanowski BK, Burke JM, Boulton ME, Sarna T, Rozanowska MB. (2008) Human RPE Melanosomes Protect from Photosensitized and Iron-Mediated Oxidation but Become Pro-Oxidant in the Presence of Iron upon Photodegradation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. Mar 7; 49: 2838-2347.
  5. Lei, Y., Garrahan, N., Hermann, B., Becker, D.L., Hernandez, M.R., Boulton, M.E., Morgan, J.E. (2008) Quantification of Retinal Transneuronal Degeneration In Human Glaucoma: a novel multiphoton-DAPI approach. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1940-1945.
  6. Ng KP, Gugiu BG, Renganathan K, Davies MW, Gu X, Crabb JS, Kim SR, Rozanowska MB, Bonilha VL, Rayborn ME, Salomon RG, Sparrow JR, Boulton ME, Hollyfield JG, Crabb JW. (2008) Retinal pigment epithelium lipofuscin proteomics. Mol Cell Proteomics. 7:1397-1405.
  7. Glenn JV, Beattie JR, Barrett L, Frizzell N, Thorpe SR, Boulton ME, McGarvey JJ, Stitt AW (2007) Confocal Raman microscopy can quantify advanced glycation end product (AGE) modifications in Bruch's membrane leading to accurate, nondestructive prediction of ocular aging. FASEB J. 21:3542-3552.
  8. Cai, J., Jiang, W.G., Boulton, M.E. (2006) Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) inhibits angiogenesis via regulated intracellular proteolysis of VEGFR1. J. Biol. Chem. 281:3604-3613.
  9. Carrington, L., Albon, J., Anderson, I., Boulton, M.E. (2006) Differential regulation of key stages in early corneal wound healing by TGF-β isoforms and their inhibitors. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 47:1886-1894.
  10. Cai, J., Jiang, W.G., Ahmed, A. Boulton, M.E. (2006) Vascular endothelial growth factor-induced endothelial cell proliferation is regulated by interaction between VEGFR-2, SH-PTP1 and eNOS. Microvascular Res. 71:20-31.
  11. Davies, V., Hollins, A., Piechota, M., Yip, W., Davies, R., White, K., Nichols, P., Boulton, M., Votruba, M. (2007) Opa1 deficiency in a mouse model of Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy impairs mitochondrial morphology, optic nerve structure and visual function. Human Molecular Genetics 16:1307-18.
  12. Cai, J., Parr, C., Watkins, G., Jiang, W.G., Boulton, M. (2006) Decreased pigment epithelium-derived factor expression in human breast cancer progression. Clin. Cancer Res. 12:3510-3517.
  13. Godley, B., Shamsi, F., Liang, F-Q, Jarrett, S., Davies, S., Boulton, M. (2005) Blue light induces mitochondrial DNA damage and free radical production in epithelial cells. J. Biol. Chem. 280:21061-21066.
  14. Jarrett, S., Boulton, M. (2005) Antioxidant up-regulation and increased nuclear DNA protection play a key role in adaptation to oxidative stress in epithelial cells. Free Radical Biol. Med. 38:1382-1391.

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Biosketch
    Education
    1971-1974B.Sc., Microbiology with Chemistry, University of Reading, UK. University of Reading, UK.
    1979-1982Ph.D., The use of in vitro culture techniques in the study of retinal dystrophies. University of Westminster, London, UK.
     
    Postdoctoral Training
    1983-1987Fight for Sight Fellow, Department of Visual Science, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
     
    Academic Appointments
    1974-1979Assistant Scientist, Vascular Disease Division, May and Baker Ltd, Essex, UK.
    1979-1983Research Fellow, Divison of Science, University of Westminster, London, UK.
    1983-1987Fight for Sight Fellow, Department of Visual Science, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
    1988-1989Lecturer, Department of Clinical Ophthalmology, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
    1989-1999Senior Lecturer/Reader, Department of Ophthalmology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.
    1999-2006Head of School, Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, UK.
    2006-2008Professor and Director of Macular Degeneration Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, UTMB, Galveston, USA
    2008-Professor, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

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Updated: Monday, January 12, 2009 at 10:58:16 AM, © 2005 University of Florida