Rajesh Rao
Leonard G Miller Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Associate Professor of Pathology
Associate Professor of Human Genetics
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
1000 Wall Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
[email protected]

Available to mentor
Rajesh Rao
Associate Professor
  • Qualifications
  • Center Memberships
  • Research Overview
  • Recent Publications
    • Qualifications
    • Fellowship
      Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, 2013
    • Residency
      Harvard University, Boston, 2011
    • Research Fellow
      Harvard Medical School, Ophthalmology, 2011
    • Internship
      Northwestern University, Internal Medicine, 2008
    • Research Scholar
      National Institutes of Health, Neural Stem Cell Signaling and Metabolism, 2006
    • Research Scholar
      Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bethesda, 2006
    Center Memberships
    • Center Member
      Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
    • Center Member
      Rogel Cancer Center
    • Center Member
      Biosciences Initiative
    • Center Member
      Center for Cell Plasticity and Organ Design
    • Center Member
      Taubman Institute
    Research Overview

    Stem cells for regeneration of retina and central nervous system
    Epigenetics and chromatin modifying enzymes
    Retinal development
    Hereditary and age-related retinal degenerations
    Retinal Detachment
    Proliferative vitreoretinopathy
    Tumors of the eye/orbit

    Recent Publications See All Publications
    • Journal Article
      AMD and Stem Cell-Based Therapies.
      Giacalone JC, Parkinson DH, Balikov DA, Rao RC. Int Ophthalmol Clin, 2024 Jan 1; 64 (1): 21 - 33. DOI:10.1097/IIO.0000000000000510
      PMID: 38146879
    • Journal Article
      Author Correction: Quiescence enables unrestricted cell fate in naive embryonic stem cells.
      Khoa LTP, Yang W, Shan M, Zhang L, Mao F, Zhou B, Li Q, Malcore R, Harris C, Zhao L, Rao RC, Iwase S, Kalantry S, Bielas SL, Lyssiotis CA, Dou Y. Nat Commun, 2024 Mar 12; 15 (1): 2215 DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-46566-4
      PMID: 38472240
    • Journal Article
      Quiescence enables unrestricted cell fate in naive embryonic stem cells.
      Khoa LTP, Yang W, Shan M, Zhang L, Mao F, Zhou B, Li Q, Malcore R, Harris C, Zhao L, Rao RC, Iwase S, Kalantry S, Bielas SL, Lyssiotis CA, Dou Y. Nat Commun, 2024 Feb 26; 15 (1): 1721 DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-46121-1
      PMID: 38409226
    • Journal Article
      Liquid biopsy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy: single-cell transcriptomics of human vitreous reveals inflammatory T cell signature
      Haliyur R, Parkinson DH, Ma F, Xu J, Li Q, Huang Y, Tsoi LC, Bogle R, Liu J, Gudjonsson JE, Rao RC. Ophthalmology Science, 2024 Apr; 100539 DOI:10.1016/j.xops.2024.100539
    • Journal Article
      Posterior Uveitis in Ocular-Involving Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and the Utility of Negative MYD88 L265P Testing in the Diagnosis
      Balikov DA, Brown NA, Elner VM, Wubben TJ, Rao RC, Demirci H. Ocular Oncology and Pathology, 1 - 11. DOI:10.1159/000535951
    • Journal Article
      Cell-Free DNA Extraction of Vitreous and Aqueous Humor Specimens for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Vitreoretinal Lymphoma.
      Brown NA, Rao RC, Betz BL. J Vis Exp, 2024 Jan 12; (203): DOI:10.3791/65708
      PMID: 38284545
    • Journal Article
      The Cost of Standard and Complex Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Retinal Detachment Repair Exceeds Its Reimbursement.
      Pan WW, Portney DS, Mian SI, Rao RC. Ophthalmol Retina, 2023 Nov; 7 (11): 948 - 953. DOI:10.1016/j.oret.2023.06.021
      PMID: 37399975
    • Journal Article
      Lessons learnt, and still to learn, in first in human stem cell trials.
      Barker RA, Carpenter M, Jamieson CHM, Murry CE, Pellegrini G, Rao RC, Song J. Stem Cell Reports, 2023 Aug 8; 18 (8): 1599 - 1609. DOI:10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.11.019
      PMID: 36563687