Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology
The Castiglione lab harnesses evolutionary adaptation to understand human disease. We investigate the function and evolution of antioxidant and visual system proteins鈥攑athways where mutations can confer adaptation or disease depending on genetic and environmental background. We use comparative genomics to identify mutations unique to species in extreme environments and/or with extreme physiological adaptations. We identify phenotypic effects of therapeutic potential using biochemical, cellular and in vivo assays in models spanning mice, birds, horses, and fish.
Keywords: molecular evolution, vision, oxidative stress, evolutionary medicine