Rosario Fernandez Godino, PhD

Rosario Fernandez-Godino, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and a Principal Investigator at the Ocular Genomics Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Boston, MA). A native of Madrid, Spain, she earned her Ph.D. in genetics and cell biology from the Complutense University of Madrid in 2009. Since 2011, Dr. Fernandez-Godino has studied the molecular mechanisms underlying age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The Fernandez-Godino Laboratory utilizes cutting-edge molecular and cellular biology techniques to model pathologies associated with dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in vitro. Specifically, they use genome editing technology such as CRISPR/Cas9 to engineer induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and further differentiate them into retinal cells. The cell-based models are valuable tools to study the mechanisms of pathology of inherited and complex eye diseases as well as to test potential treatments, including gene therapy. The ultimate goal of the Fernandez-Godino Lab is to identify effective targets that can be applied therapeutically to stop AMD progression.