Dennis M. Dacey

dmd@u.washington.edu
Professor, Department of Biological Structure and Core Staff, NPRC-Washington

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Our longterm research goal is to characterize the functional organization of the macaque retina as a model for understanding the early stages of the human visual processing. We have developed an in vitro retina preparation that offers a unique opportunity to explore retinal cell physiology and morphology using intracellular injection and recording techniques. We are currently investigating the retinal circuitry that underlies the wavelength encoding properties of retinal ganglion cells. Since the macaque monkey possesses trichromatic color vision that is virtually identical to that in humans it provides an excellent experimental model for understanding the processing of color-related signals in the human retina. Opportunities for pre- and postdoctoral fellows include training in the fundamentals of color science, visual physiology and biophysics, synaptic pharmacology, human and non-human primate retinal anatomy.