• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
Eye Care

UCLA Stein Eye Institute

Eye Care
  • About Us
    • Message from the Chairman
    • UCLA Stein Eye Institute
    • About Stein and Doheny Affiliation
    • Academic Mission
    • Executive Committee
    • Academic Divisions
    • Academic Centers
    • Philanthropy
    • Mobile Eye Clinic
    • Webinars
    • Job Postings
    • Events
    • News
    • Contact Us
  • Conditions and Treatment
    • Eye Signs and Symptoms
    • Eye Conditions
    • Surgical Treatments
    • Non-Surgical Treatments
  • Eye Research
    • Clinical Trials
    • Clinical Research Center
    • Research Laboratories
    • Research to Prevent Blindness
    • SEI Seminar Series
    • Vision Research Core at UCLA
  • Our Providers
  • Training and Education
    • Educational Activities
    • Training Programs
  • Our Locations
    • UCLA Stein Eye Institute Westwood
    • UCLA Stein Eye Center Santa Monica
    • UCLA Stein Eye Center Calabasas
    • Doheny Eye Center UCLA Pasadena
    • Doheny Eye Center UCLA Arcadia
    • Doheny Eye Center UCLA Orange County
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

UCLA Stein Eye Institute

Eye Research

Eye Research

Eye Research

  • Clinical Trials
    • Cornea and External Eye
    • Eye Infections and Inflammations
    • Glaucoma Clinical Trials
    • Lens and Cataract
    • Macula Retina and Vitreous
    • Neuro-Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics and Strabismus
  • Clinical Research Center
  • Research Laboratories
    • Advanced Robotic Eye Surgery (ARES) Laboratory
      • Current Lab Members
      • Research Projects
      • Grants and Support
      • News
      • Publications
      • Patents
    • Biology and Genetics of Retinal Disease
      • Research Projects
      • Lab Members
      • Available Positions
      • Grants and Support
      • Selected Publications
    • Cornea Biology
      • Current Lab Members
      • Past Lab Members
      • Publications
      • Available Positions
    • Cornea Genetics
    • Developmental Neurobiology
    • Glaucoma Advanced Imaging Laboratory
      • Lab Members
      • Former Trainees
      • News
      • Publications
      • Education
      • Ongoing Research Projects
      • Grants and Support
      • Links
      • Contact Us
    • Lens Biophysics
    • Molecular Biology of Retinal Ganglion Cells
    • Molecular Neurobiology
    • Ocular Motility
    • Ophthalmic Biophysical Chemistry
    • Ophthalmic Pathology
    • Photoreceptor Biochemistry
    • Photoreceptor - RPE Cell Biology
      • Lab Members
        • Barry L. Burgess
        • Abhishek Chadha, PhD
        • Blake Gilmore
        • Roni Hazim, PhD
        • Nan Hultgren, PhD
        • Antonio Escudero Paniagua, PhD
        • Ankita Umapathy, PhD
        • Stefanie Volland, PhD
        • David S. Williams, PhD
      • Former Trainees
      • Positions Available
      • Research Projects
      • Image and Video Examples
      • Grants and Support
      • Publications
        • Selected Publications
        • All Publications
      • Williams Lab - Latest News
    • Retina Biochemistry & Clinical Disease Modeling Laboratory
      • Lab Members
      • Positions Available
      • Publications
    • Retinal Biochemistry - Inherited Diseases
    • Retinal Cell Biology
    • Retinal Function and Dysfunction
      • About
      • Lab Members
      • Publications
      • Positions Available
    • Retinal Pathophysiology
    • Vision Molecular Biology
    • Visual Physiology
  • Research to Prevent Blindness
  • SEI Seminar Series
  • Vision Research Core at UCLA
    • Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Instrumentation Core
    • Gene & Cell Delivery Core
    • Live Imaging and Functional Evaluation (LIFE) Core:
    • Microscopy and Imaging Analysis Core
      • Research Images and Videos
    • Prototype Construction Core
    • Software Engineering (SE) Core
  • Clinical Trials
  • Clinical Research Center
  • Research Laboratories
  • Research to Prevent Blindness
  • SEI Seminar Series
  • Vision Research Core at UCLA
  • Advanced Robotic Eye Surgery (ARES) Laboratory
  • Biology and Genetics of Retinal Disease
  • Cornea Biology
  • Cornea Genetics
  • Developmental Neurobiology
  • Glaucoma Advanced Imaging Laboratory
  • Lens Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology of Retinal Ganglion Cells
  • Molecular Neurobiology
  • Ocular Motility
  • Ophthalmic Biophysical Chemistry
  • Ophthalmic Pathology
  • Photoreceptor Biochemistry
  • Photoreceptor - RPE Cell Biology
  • Retina Biochemistry & Clinical Disease Modeling Laboratory
  • Retinal Biochemistry - Inherited Diseases
  • Retinal Cell Biology
  • Retinal Function and Dysfunction
  • Retinal Pathophysiology
  • Vision Molecular Biology
  • Visual Physiology
  1. Home
  2. Eye Research
  3. Research Laboratories
  4. Retinal Pathophysiology

Retinal Pathophysiology

Share this

Dr. Nicholas Brecha, Director

Contact Information
Phone: (310) 825-6758
Fax: (310) 825-2224
Email: nbrecha@ucla.edu

Location Address
Department of Neurobiology
UCLA School of Medicine, CHS 73-325
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Research Areas

Functional Organization of the Mammalian Retina

Description

Dr. Brecha's research focuses on the elucidation of the functional organization of the inner retina. Morphological studies have defined discrete classes of amacrine and bipolar cells, whereas neurochemical and physiological studies have investigated the modulatory action of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides on these cells. This work has led to a better appreciation of neuropeptides as key regulators of retinal neurons and circuitry and thereby an important influence on visual processing in the retina. These investigations provide fundamental knowledge about the functional organization of the retina and form the basis for understanding the pathophysiology of retinal dysfunction.

Representative Publications

Johnson J, Wong H, Walsh JH, Brecha NC. Expression of the somatostatin subtype 2A receptor in the rabbit retina. J Comp Neurol 1998;393:93-101.

Johnson J, Wu V, Wong H, Walsh JH, Brecha NC. Somatostatin receptor Sst2A expression in the rat retina. Neuroscience 1999;94:675-83.

Akopian A, Johnson J, Gabriel R, Brecha NC, Witkovsky P. Somatostatin modulates voltage-gated K+ and Ca2+ currents in rod and cone photoreceptors of the salamander retina. J Neurosci 2000;20:929-36.

Johnson J, Caravelli ML, Brecha NC. Somatostatin inhibits Ca2+ influx into rat rod bipolar cell axonal terminals. Vis Neurosci 2001;18:101-8.

Cueva JG, Haverkamp S, Reimer RJ, Edwards RH, Wässle H, Brecha NC. The vesicular GABA transporter is expressed by amacrine and horizontal cells. J Comp Neurol (Accepted).

Grants

National Institute of Drug Abuse: Center for the Study of Opioid Peptides and Drugs of Abuse: Antibody and Imaging Core (Core Director), 7/31/97-6/30/02
National Eye Institute: Neurochemical Pathways in the Retina, 6/30/99-7/1/04

Available Positions

Postdoctoral scholar: Position is available to study the mechanisms of neurotransmitter and peptide action in the retina. Investigations are concerned with transmitter and peptide receptor expression in the mammalian retina, modulation of ganglion and bipolar cells by GABA and peptides, and mechanisms underlying GABA release from retinal neurons. Applicants should have an advanced degree and experience in molecular or cellular biology, or electrophysiology.

Graduate Student: Position is available to study the mechanisms of neurotransmitter release from retinal neurons using cell biological and electrophysiological approaches. Applicants should be in good standing in one of the UCLA's biomedical graduate programs. Stipend and fees are provided. Applications to these programs can be found at the UCLA Graduate Division Web site.

Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Report Misconduct
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest

Sign in to myUCLAhealth