Positions
- Professor - Clifton R. McMichael Endowed Chair
-
Ophthalmology
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
- Professor
-
Neuroscience
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
Housotn, Texas, United States
- Co-Director
-
Medical Scientist Training Program
ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
Houston, Texas
Addresses
- Jamail Specialty Care Center - Alkek Eye Center (Clinic)
-
1977 Butler Blvd.
3rd Floor
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-6100
/healthcare/care-centers/eye/
- Lab: Neurosensory Building (Lab)
-
NC - 306
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Education
- MD from ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Of Medicine
- 05/2005 - Houston, TX, United States
- PhD from ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Of Medicine
- 12/2003 - Houston, TX, United States
- Fellowship at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ of Medicine
- 07/2010 - Houston, Texas, United States
- Glaucoma
- Residency at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- 06/2009 - Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Ophthalmology
- BA from Duke University
- 05/1996 - Durham, North Carolina, United States
Certifications
- American Board of Ophthalmology
Professional Interests
- Translational research
- Basic research
- Medical and surgical management of adult glaucoma
Professional Statement
I am a clinician scientist ophthalmologist with advanced training in genetics, neuroscience, and glaucoma patient care. I am committed to improving our understanding of glaucoma, a potentially blinding neurodegenerative disease of the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which will hopefully lead to the development of new diagnostics and therapeutics. Accordingly, my primary basic research objectives are to understand the earliest events that occur in mice with experimental glaucoma (elevated intraocular pressure, or IOP) and to elucidate the mechanisms that govern RGC injury, resistance, and recovery. My lab assesses RGCs and interacting cell types with a variety of techniques such as electrophysiology, visual behavior testing, single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), and RGC isolation and culture. Current projects in my laboratory include:
1. Mechanisms of neurovascular unit dysfunction in early stage experimental glaucoma. We have discovered that retinal capillary plexi and a variety of neuronal cell types are differentially susceptible to IOP elevation. This projects aims to understand the mechanisms that underlie these relationships and how they may be altered to modify disease outcomes.
2. Mechanisms of RGC survival and neurite recovery in cell culture. Using a novel immunopanning + FACS based system, we can now isolate RGCs with exceptional fidelity. When these RGCs are cultured, we observe a wide range of survival and neurite extension phenotypes. This project aims to understand the intrinsic mechanisms that govern these RGC responses.
3. Gene expression changes in early stage experimental glaucoma. After exposure to mildly elevated IOP for a variety of durations we isolate RGCs using the same technique described above and perform scRNA-seq. By studying early stage disease, this project aims to identify RGC and RGC subtype specific targets that modulate disease onset and severity.
4. Mechanisms of neuroprotection in glaucoma. We are currently exploring neuroprotection in glaucoma in two ways. First, since some clinical evidence suggests that increased serotonin signaling is neuroprotective against glaucoma, we are assessing the virtually unstudied role of serotonin signaling in mouse retina, RGCs, and experimental glaucoma. Second, we are studying the molecular mechanism of brimonidine, a common IOP-lowering eye drop with known neuroprotective effects.
1. Mechanisms of neurovascular unit dysfunction in early stage experimental glaucoma. We have discovered that retinal capillary plexi and a variety of neuronal cell types are differentially susceptible to IOP elevation. This projects aims to understand the mechanisms that underlie these relationships and how they may be altered to modify disease outcomes.
2. Mechanisms of RGC survival and neurite recovery in cell culture. Using a novel immunopanning + FACS based system, we can now isolate RGCs with exceptional fidelity. When these RGCs are cultured, we observe a wide range of survival and neurite extension phenotypes. This project aims to understand the intrinsic mechanisms that govern these RGC responses.
3. Gene expression changes in early stage experimental glaucoma. After exposure to mildly elevated IOP for a variety of durations we isolate RGCs using the same technique described above and perform scRNA-seq. By studying early stage disease, this project aims to identify RGC and RGC subtype specific targets that modulate disease onset and severity.
4. Mechanisms of neuroprotection in glaucoma. We are currently exploring neuroprotection in glaucoma in two ways. First, since some clinical evidence suggests that increased serotonin signaling is neuroprotective against glaucoma, we are assessing the virtually unstudied role of serotonin signaling in mouse retina, RGCs, and experimental glaucoma. Second, we are studying the molecular mechanism of brimonidine, a common IOP-lowering eye drop with known neuroprotective effects.
Websites
Selected Publications
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Frankfort BJ, Nolo R, Zhang Z, Bellen H, Mardon G.. " " Neuron. 2001 Nov 8; 32 (3) : 403-14.
Pubmed PMID: . -
Frankfort BJ, Mardon G.. " " Development. 2014 Feb ; 131 (3) : 563-70.
Pubmed PMID: . -
Pang JJ, Frankfort BJ, Gross RL, Wu SM.. " " Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Feb 24; 112 (8) : 2593-8.
Pubmed PMID: . -
van der Heijden, M.E., Shah, P., Cowan, C.S., Yang, Z., Wu, S.M., & Frankfort, B.J.. " " Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016 Jun 1; 57 (7) : 3077-87.
Pubmed PMID: .
Memberships
- American Glaucoma Society
- Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
- American Academy of Ophthalmology
Funding
-
Brain and eye-pressure induced optic nerve and retinal degeneration
#R01 EY025601 - (08/01/2015 - 07/31/2024)
- Grant funding from National Eye Institute
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Early Detection and Treatment of Glaucoma
- (05/01/2015 - 12/31/2022)
- Grant funding from Clayton Foundation for Research
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An in vivo/in vitro system for targeted retinal ganglion cell subtype manipulation
#R21 EY033458 - (02/01/2022 - 01/31/2024)
- Grant funding from National Eye Institute
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