Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy

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Neena Haider, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Ph.D. in Genetics, University of Iowa, 1999

Phone:  (402) 559-6123
Fax:       (402) 559-7328
Email:    nhaidern@unmc.edu

  NHaider07

Research – Overall Goals       The main objective of my laboratory is to identify genes associated with human retinal disease, the mechanism of photoreceptor cell loss in retinal degeneration, and the molecular targets that regulate normal photoreceptor development.    Photoreceptor development.  The goal of this research is to characterize the biological pathway required for proper photoreceptor development. We use mouse molecular studies and functional genomics to identify genes that direct rod and cone cell development. Our studies of the Nr2e3 gene in both humans and mouse identify it as a key regulator of photoreceptor development. We use Nr2e3 as an entry point to determine the transcripitional networks that are regulated by Nr2e3. Our recent studies demonstrated that Nr2e3 is required in mitotic retinal progenitors to suppress cone cell generation. Nr2e3 also functions to direct photoreceptor development in postmitotic retinal cells. Our current studies use gene expression studies and in vivo and in vitro techniques to identify transcriptional regulators of retinal cell fate.  

Novel retinal degeneration mutants   The goal of this research is to identify novel genes involved in patterning and cell fate determination of cone photoreceptor cells.  Resources to study neurological mouse mutants are available through an ENU mutagenesis consortium established by NIH.  We will choose mutants through these resources that display a retinal phenotype such as ERG and histological abnormalities.  Additionally, candidate genes identified as interacting with NR2E3 and/or misregulated in rd7 mice may be available through the gene trap consortiums. 


Publications listed in PubMed

Recent Publications:

Haider NB , DeMarco P, Smith RS, McCall MA, Naggert JK, Nishina PM.  NR2E3 regulates Cone Cell Development. In preparation.

Mehalow AK, Kameya S, Smith RS, Hawes NL, Denegre JM, Young JA, Bechtold L, Haider NB, Tepass U, Heckenlively JR, Chang B, Naggert JK, Nishina PM.   CRB1 is essential for external limiting membrane integrity and photoreceptor morphogenesis in the mammalian retina. Hum. Mol. Genet. 12 (17), 2179-2189, 2003.

Haider NB , Ikeda A, Naggert J, Nishina PM.   Genetic modifiers of vision and hearing. Hum. Mol. Genet. 11(10), 1195-1206, 2002.

Haider NB , Naggert J, Nishina PM.   Excess cone cell proliferation due to lack of a functional NR2E3 causes retinal dysplasia and degeneration in rd7/rd7 mice. Hum. Mol. Genet. 10(16), 1619-1626, 2001.

Haider NB, Jacobson SG, Cideciyan AV. Swiderski R, Streb LB, Searby C, Beck G, Hockey R, Hanna DB, Gorman S, Duhl D, Carmi R, Bennett J, Weleber RG, Fishman GA, Wright AF, Stone EM, Sheffield VC.  Mutation of a nuclear receptor gene, NR2E3, causes enhanced S cone syndrome, a disorder of retinal cell fate. Nature Genetics 24(2): 127-131, 2000.