Zhang Lab

​The retina provides a unique window into the central nervous system, allowing neural and vascular tissues to be observed noninvasively and in extraordinary detail. Led by Yuhua Zhang, PhD, the Advanced Ophthalmic Imaging Laboratory (AOIL) develops advanced ophthalmic imaging technologies to study retinal, systemic, and neurological diseases at the cellular and subcellular levels.

Dr. Zhang and his research team develop high-resolution instruments that combine adaptive optics with scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and optical coherence tomography. By correcting for optical imperfections in the eye, these technologies enable the team to visualize individual photoreceptors and blood cells in the living human retina.

The laboratory uses these capabilities to investigate age-related macular degeneration, including changes in photoreceptor structure and function that may occur before they can be detected through conventional clinical imaging. The team also measures the movement of individual red and white blood cells through retinal capillaries to better understand retinal circulation and identify vascular changes associated with hypertension, diabetes, cerebral small-vessel disease, and other conditions affecting the central nervous system.

In addition, AOIL researchers are developing adaptive optics fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy to study the metabolic function of retinal cells at the molecular level. This emerging technology may lead to more sensitive biomarkers for detecting disease earlier, monitoring its progression, and evaluating the effectiveness of new treatments.

The laboratory’s long-term goal is to translate advances in imaging into a deeper understanding of diseases affecting the eye and central nervous system and, ultimately, better patient care. Its research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Research to Prevent Blindness, W. M. Keck Foundation, International Retinal Research Foundation, EyeSight Foundation of Alabama, and Carl Marshall Reeves and Mildred Almen Reeves Foundation.