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Constance Cepko

Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School

Constance Cepko is a Professor of Genetics and Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her research focuses on understanding retinal development and degeneration, with a goal of developing gene therapies to prevent blindness.126

Education and Early Career

  • B.S. in Biochemistry and Microbiology: University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.1
  • Ph.D.: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1982), advised by Nobel laureate Phil Sharp, studying adenovirus capsid assembly.14
  • Postdoctoral Work: Trained with Richard C. Mulligan at MIT, pioneering retroviral vectors for gene transduction in the nervous system.148

Research Contributions

  • Retinal Development: Investigates molecular mechanisms guiding cell fate determination in the retina, including photoreceptor diversification and retinal circuitry formation.256
  • Gene Therapy: Develops treatments for inherited retinal degenerations (e.g., retinitis pigmentosa) by targeting photoreceptor survival.478
  • Technological Innovations: Created electroporation methods for gene delivery and tools like nanobodies to manipulate intracellular processes.256

Awards and Honors

  • National Academy of Sciences (elected 2002).1
  • Bressler Prize in Vision Science (2011) for contributions to retina development.12
  • Alcon Research Institute Award and David Cogan Award for advancements in vision science.26

Current Roles

  • Bullard Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Harvard.35
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator since 1994.6
  • Leads the Cepko Lab, which combines genomic analysis, viral tools, and gene therapy to study retinal biology.57

Her work has been published in top journals like Cell and Nature Neuroscience, and she is recognized for mentoring excellence, including the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award.26

Highlights

Constance Cepko, PhD - Harvard Ophthalmology
Constance Cepko, PhD - Harvard Ophthalmology
Jan 1 · hhmi.org
Constance L. Cepko, PhD | Investigator Profile | 1994-Present - HHMI
Constance L. Cepko, PhD | Investigator Profile | 1994-Present - HHMI
Sep 1 · amacad.org
Constance Louise Cepko | American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Constance Cepko - Harvard Genetics Department
Constance Cepko - Harvard Genetics Department
Jan 1 · hsci.harvard.edu
Constance Cepko, Ph.D. | Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI)
Constance Cepko, Ph.D. | Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI)
Constance Cepko, PhD - InsideScientific
Constance Cepko, PhD - InsideScientific
Constance Cepko, PhD - Mass General Advances in Motion
‪Constance L Cepko‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬
May 15 · en.wikipedia.org
Constance Cepko - Wikipedia

Related Questions

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What is the role of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Constance Cepko's research?
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Location

Newton Highlands, Massachusetts, United States