Gulab Zode, PhD Professor of Ophthalmology |Center for Translational Vision Research |Gavin Herbert Eye Institute| Plumwood house, lab 315 University of California, Irvine | Email: gzode@hs.uci.edu | Ph# 949-824-4366

Dr. Zode’s Biosketch                                                                                                            Dr. Zode is a tenured professor at the Department of Ophthalmology and the Center for Translational Visual Research at the University of Irvine, Ca. Originally from India, Dr. Zode completed his PhD at University of North Texas HSC at Fort Worth, Tx studying the cellular mechanisms of glaucomatous damage to trabecular meshwork. During his post-doctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Val Sheffield, Howard Hughes Medical Investigator at the University of Iowa, he developed a novel transgenic mouse model of myocilin-associated glaucoma and discovered the role of ER stress in the pathogenesis of MYOC-associated POAG and targeted ER stress using small molecule, sodium 4 phenylbutyrate (PBA). He received an extensive training in cellular and molecular biology and mouse genetics. In 2012, he received the prestigious K99-R00 pathway to independence grant, which facilitated his successful transition into an independent career. In 2014, he started his lab at the North Texas Eye Research Institute (NTERI) at University of North Texas (UNT) and published several key papers including targeted targeting myocilin glaucoma using CRISPR-Cas9 and small molecules. Quickly rising through the academic ranks at UNT, he obtained tenure in 2019, became a Full Professor in 2022, and served as associate director of NTERI. Dr. Zode relocated his lab to UC Irvine in May of 2023 as a Professor in Ophthalmology and Physiology & Biophysics.