Retinal neurodegenerative diseases are a major cause of untreatable blindness worldwide. The Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory (NNRL) is defining the fundamental biological pathways that guide differentiation of retinal neurons, such as photoreceptors and ganglion cells. We are elucidating the genetic and biological defects associated with aging, and evaluating gene- and cell-based treatments using both classical (e.g. mouse) and novel (e.g. non-model vertebrates, stem cell organoids) models.