Focusing on the eye and optic nerve, we are investigating why neurons die in blinding diseases, such as glaucoma, and why the retina and optic nerve cannot regenerate or self-repair after injury in mice and human. We are interested in understanding the interplays between neurons and the immune system as well as the gut microbiota. Through the employment of cutting-edge technologies in mouse genetics and molecular and cellular biology, our major goal is to identify disease-causing events and develop mechanism-based therapeutic interventions for treating and reversing vision loss.