Dr. Chao’s research group studies inherited retinal degenerations and examine potential treatment modalities. Specific projects include the generation of stem cells from persons with inherited retinal degenerations (called induced pluripotent stem cells or IPSCs), generating retinal cells from these IPSCs, and studying the “diseased” retinal cells in culture. Ultimately, the group is focused on discovering new drug therapeutics that could benefit those affected by inherited retinal degeneration.