Cell and Molecular Biology of the Retina

We are particularly interested in characterising the mechanisms of cell death pathways to aid the understanding of photoreceptor death which results in legal blindness as observed in inherited retinal dystrophies and in age-related macular degeneration.

We are always looking for new members to join our hard working team. We are currently working on a variety of projects, for details please see current projects.

Dr Monica Acosta

When I was an undergraduate student I was passionate about eye research and that passion has not banished, but increased to be a career that has become my best research achievement.

It was clear to me, during my undergraduate degree at the University of Uruguay that success would be up to my performance and determination. So I joined as an honorary assistant the Genetics Department where I studied the effect of genetic mutations on the fertility of flies.

Later on in 1993, I gained a position in the Department of Cell Biology through academic merits and exhibition of research skills. My first poster presentation was in 1996, when I was conducting studies for the master degree in Cell Biology. I gained invaluable experience in polytechnic chromosome preparations and detection of stages of Drosophila embryonic death. However, my interest in eye research and the Drosophila model persisted and I searched to join a group working in this field.

I was interested in a particular group in Japan working on Drosophila eye mutants. The laboratory of Prof Masahito T Kimura welcomed me and I started research under the co-supervision of Dr Kyohito Yoshida. I completed my masters degree and engaged in a PhD in 1999 to study the genetics and molecular characteristics of Drosophila eye mutants, graduating in 2002. During my PhD I gained personal life skills reflected in my ability to adapt to multicultural research groups and attained basic research skills in genetic and molecular biology techniques necessary to conduct independent research.

After completing my PhD, I joined Professor Michael Kalloniatis’s group at The University of Auckland to study the development of the vertebrate retina. This has been a fruitful experience resulting in the publication of 8 papers in prestigious journals and several conference presentations as an invited speaker. During my post-doc I investigated the neurochemical and biochemical signals associated with retinal degeneration. The investigation turned out to be rewarding with 2 more publications on the characteristics of retinal degeneration models due to be submitted this year.

Now I have been given the opportunity to form a research group of my own, with initiative and purpose in achieving excellence in research. I am especially interested in guiding and supporting a research group that leads in the discipline of cell and molecular aspects of eye diseases. Through the support of colleagues at the New Zealand Eye National Center and internal and external funds, I aim to start a line of research that is attractive to postgraduate students, to external funding entities and that fulfils the requirements of a leading laboratory.

Dr Monica Acosta
Email: m.acosta@auckland.ac.nz
 

• Acosta ML, Bumsted O'Brien KM, Tan SS, Kalloniatis M (2008) Emergence of cellular markers and functional ionotropic glutamate receptors on tangentially dispersed cells in the developing mouse retina.  Journal of Comparative Neurology 506:506-523.
• Yu TY, Acosta ML, Ready S, Cheong YL, Kalloniatis M (2007)  Light exposure causes functional changes in the retina: increased photoreceptor cation channel permeability, photoreceptor apoptosis, and altered retinal metabolic function. Journal of Neurochemistry 103:714-724.
• Fletcher EL, Acosta ML, Kalloniatis M. (2007)Inherited retinal degeneration, in, Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, Editors Binder M, Hirokawa N, Windhorst U.
• Acosta ML, Chua J, Kalloniatis M (2007)  Functional activation of glutamate ionotropic receptors in the developing mouse retina. Journal of comparative Neurology 500(5):923-941.
• Acosta M, Fletcher EL, Azizoglus S, Foster Le Farber DB, Kalloniatis M (2005) Early markers of retinal  degeneration in rd/rd mice. Molecular Vision; 11:717-28.
• Acosta M, Kalloniatis M, Christie DL (2005)  Creatine transporter localization in developing and adult retina: importance of creatine to retinal function. American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology 289(4):C1015-23. Epub 2005 Jun 1
• Acosta M and Kalloniatis M (2005) Short- and long-term enzymatic regulation secondary to metabolic insult in the rat retina. Journal of Neurochemistry; 92(6):1350-62
• Acosta M and Goňi B (2000) A technique for collecting and examining a large number of eggs. Drosophila Information Service, (DIS) 83, 174-175.

• Current projects
• Our lab members