Fighting to Restore Vision

Professor David Hyde leads researchers in studying adult stem cells from zebrafish to potentially treat humans for problems such as blindness and Alzheimer’s disease.

Finding a cure. It’s the driving ambition behind every researcher who works tirelessly in hopes of discovering the medical breakthroughs that will ease suffering, improve the human condition and perhaps ultimately lead to a world without disease.

In Notre Dame laboratories, our scientists utilize cutting-edge research methods in their quest to put an end to some of the debilitating and deadly conditions that plague humankind. Among these techniques is the use of adult stem cells, which offer hope for regeneration of tissues and even organs and for curing diseases including diabetes and Parkinson’s, and other conditions, such as blindness.

In the laboratory of Professor David Hyde, researchers use adult stem cells from zebrafish to study how neurons regenerate. The work holds promise for treatments of such human problems as glaucoma and macular degeneration in the eyes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s in the brain, and even spinal cord injuries.