Comparison of Hydroxyapaptite Deposits in Primate and Human sub-RPE Deposits

Research Collaboration with University of Maryland School of Medicine

Dr. Kavita Hegde is working on a collaborative research project with Dr. Richard Thompson, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine. The project involves detection of sub-RPE hydroxyapatite deposits, the putative early markers of age-related macular degeneration, using fluorescence techniques.

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Imaging Hydroxyapaptite in sub-RPE Deposits by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM)

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Infusion labeling and FLIM imaging of hydroxyapaptite spherules in human sub-RPE deposits

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Research poster titled "Modulation of catalase activity in neural retina by ROS exposure: effect of caffeine" presented by Rebekka Hauri (left) and Miajavon Coleman (right) at Morgan State University Undergraduate Research Conference in April 2022 

Research poster titled "Modulation of catalase activity in neural retina by ROS exposure: effect of caffeine" presented by Rebekka Hauri (left) and Miajavon Coleman (right) at Morgan State University Undergraduate Research Conference in April 2022 

Since the establishment of this lab, several students have received hands-on biomedical research experience.

Current Students

• Ahzhalon Coleman, Shirima Lewis

Past Students

• 2024-2025 Vansh Kapoor, Viviana Wamiru, Christian Stevens
• 2023-2024 Mariam Allison, Atiatunur Kukoyi, Christian Stevens
• 2022-2023 Aminah Muhammad, Christian Stevens, Gabriel Mkpu
• 2021-2022 Miajavon Coleman, Rebekka Hauri, Megana Kamala, Natasha Rajarajan, Yashwant Kakarla, Kyrah Odudu
• 2020-2021 Dyshonique Jones
• 2019-2020 Oluchukwu Usoh, Desirae McKoy, Kevin Lettman, Latoya Jones
• 2018-2019 Kristen Deacon, Femi Olurunfemi
• 2017-2018 Destiny Brown, Brina Smith, Dahlia Copeland, Erika Monk
• 2016-2017  Mariah Benjamin, Darnell Fisher, Chisomaga Madufor

Summer Undergraduate and High School Interns

• 2025: Adhya Chinnasetty, Hansi Reddicherla, Akshita Sharma, Sarayu Thattikonda, Nihara Ekanayake
• 2024: Aishwarya Thalla, Claire Ijoma, Ayush Kawle, Viviana Wamiru
• 2023 Nikita Anand
• 2022 Mihir Bharadwaj
• 2021 Mansi Saxena, Kareena Arora, Samantha Ekanayake, Anika Ekanayake, Neha Neelam
• 2019 Esha Saxena, Abhinav Bala and Dev Patel
• 2018 Varsha Pudi
• 2017 Mallika Kadabha and Melinda Gwanzura

Gifted and Talented Independent Research Intern/Mentor Program from Howard County Public School System

• 2025-2026: Brithi Settipalle
• 2019-2020 Esha Saxena, Abhinav Bala, Sriram Vema, Soorya Swaminathan

Since the establishment of this lab, several students have received hands-on biomedical research experience.

Current Students

• Ahzhalon Coleman, Shirima Lewis

Past Students

• 2024-2025 Vansh Kapoor, Viviana Wamiru, Christian Stevens
• 2023-2024 Mariam Allison, Atiatunur Kukoyi, Christian Stevens
• 2022-2023 Aminah Muhammad, Christian Stevens, Gabriel Mkpu
• 2021-2022 Miajavon Coleman, Rebekka Hauri, Megana Kamala, Natasha Rajarajan, Yashwant Kakarla, Kyrah Odudu
• 2020-2021 Dyshonique Jones
• 2019-2020 Oluchukwu Usoh, Desirae McKoy, Kevin Lettman, Latoya Jones
• 2018-2019 Kristen Deacon, Femi Olurunfemi
• 2017-2018 Destiny Brown, Brina Smith, Dahlia Copeland, Erika Monk
• 2016-2017  Mariah Benjamin, Darnell Fisher, Chisomaga Madufor

Summer Undergraduate and High School Interns

• 2025: Adhya Chinnasetty, Hansi Reddicherla, Akshita Sharma, Sarayu Thattikonda, Nihara Ekanayake
• 2024: Aishwarya Thalla, Claire Ijoma, Ayush Kawle, Viviana Wamiru
• 2023 Nikita Anand
• 2022 Mihir Bharadwaj
• 2021 Mansi Saxena, Kareena Arora, Samantha Ekanayake, Anika Ekanayake, Neha Neelam
• 2019 Esha Saxena, Abhinav Bala and Dev Patel
• 2018 Varsha Pudi
• 2017 Mallika Kadabha and Melinda Gwanzura

Gifted and Talented Independent Research Intern/Mentor Program from Howard County Public School System

• 2025-2026: Brithi Settipalle
• 2019-2020 Esha Saxena, Abhinav Bala, Sriram Vema, Soorya Swaminathan

Research Summary

Ophthalmic Research Laboratory (ORL), established in Fall 2015 by Dr. Hegde, is a biomedical research hub with a focus on ocular tissues, at Coppin State University. Research is focused on investigations on the mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced aberrations in the retina, a crucial factor involved in the pathogenesis of several blinding diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), etc. Retinas exposed to ROS are analyzed for biochemical and metabolic dysfunction, morphological disruption, apoptotic cell death and other biomarkers of oxidative stress. An important goal of the research is to investigate the changes in expression of Nrf2-inducible genes in the ROS-exposed neural retina and their possible modulation by nutraceuticals and metabolic antioxidants. The overall impact of the research is translational, considering the potential therapeutic use of such compounds with a neuroprotective role for prevention and treatment of DR and AMD. Collaborative projects with University of Maryland School of Medicine focused on development of fluorescence methods for pre-clinical detection of AMD are also in progress.

In addition to routine instrumentation required for tissue culture and biochemical experiments, the lab is equipped with a thermocycler, multimode plate reader (absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence, and DNA/RNA quantification capabilities,), and fluorescence microscope. ORL has undergraduate and graduate students working in the lab, in addition to high school students interning during the summer.

Students in this lab will be able to independently run biochemical assays and state-of-the-art molecular biotechnology experiments using the above lab equipment, perform eye dissection and learn tissue culture techniques. They will learn to maintain lab books with detailed write-up of their experiments, methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation, write lab/research reports, and prepare and present their research at lab meetings, seminars and conferences.

Research Summary

Ophthalmic Research Laboratory (ORL), established in Fall 2015 by Dr. Hegde, is a biomedical research hub with a focus on ocular tissues, at Coppin State University. Research is focused on investigations on the mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced aberrations in the retina, a crucial factor involved in the pathogenesis of several blinding diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), etc. Retinas exposed to ROS are analyzed for biochemical and metabolic dysfunction, morphological disruption, apoptotic cell death and other biomarkers of oxidative stress. An important goal of the research is to investigate the changes in expression of Nrf2-inducible genes in the ROS-exposed neural retina and their possible modulation by nutraceuticals and metabolic antioxidants. The overall impact of the research is translational, considering the potential therapeutic use of such compounds with a neuroprotective role for prevention and treatment of DR and AMD. Collaborative projects with University of Maryland School of Medicine focused on development of fluorescence methods for pre-clinical detection of AMD are also in progress.

In addition to routine instrumentation required for tissue culture and biochemical experiments, the lab is equipped with a thermocycler, multimode plate reader (absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence, and DNA/RNA quantification capabilities,), and fluorescence microscope. ORL has undergraduate and graduate students working in the lab, in addition to high school students interning during the summer.

Students in this lab will be able to independently run biochemical assays and state-of-the-art molecular biotechnology experiments using the above lab equipment, perform eye dissection and learn tissue culture techniques. They will learn to maintain lab books with detailed write-up of their experiments, methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation, write lab/research reports, and prepare and present their research at lab meetings, seminars and conferences.

Internship Opportunities at Ophthalmic Research Lab

The Ophthalmic Research Laboratory offers internship opportunities to high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, high school graduates, and students enrolled at 2 or 4-year colleges and universities. 

The internship runs from June 15-August 15 for the summer session and September 1-May 15 for the academic year-long session.

Application and Selection

Interested students should apply by May 15 for summer internship, and by August 15 for internship through the academic year.

Decisions will be sent within two weeks of the date you submit your internship application and to the email address you enter in your application.

High School Student Application  Undergraduate Student Application

Questions?

For more information, please contact Dr. Kavita Hegde, Ophthalmic Research Laboratory Director & Lead Investigator, at khegde@coppin.edu.

Internship Opportunities at Ophthalmic Research Lab

The Ophthalmic Research Laboratory offers internship opportunities to high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, high school graduates, and students enrolled at 2 or 4-year colleges and universities. 

The internship runs from June 15-August 15 for the summer session and September 1-May 15 for the academic year-long session.

Application and Selection

Interested students should apply by May 15 for summer internship, and by August 15 for internship through the academic year.

Decisions will be sent within two weeks of the date you submit your internship application and to the email address you enter in your application.

High School Student Application  Undergraduate Student Application

Questions?

For more information, please contact Dr. Kavita Hegde, Ophthalmic Research Laboratory Director & Lead Investigator, at khegde@coppin.edu.

The Ophthalmic Research Laboratory is currently investigating the role of oxygen free radicals in the pathogenesis of ocular diseases, specifically retinal conditions. Damage to the neural retina by oxyradicals is a well-known contributing factor in the pathogenesis of vision-impairing and blinding diseases such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The primary objective is to understand the mechanism of such damage and examine whether certain antioxidants can have an ameliorating effect, the latter having implications on the potential therapeutic use of such compounds for prevention and treatment of DR and AMD.

The Ophthalmic Research Laboratory is well-equipped with biochemistry and molecular biotechnology instruments and equipment, viz. multimode plate reader with dual injector module, fluorescence microscope, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, thermocycler (qPCR) for gene expression studies, nano drop spectrophotometer, gel imaging system, etc.