Jonathan Soucy, PhD

Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering

jsoucy@wisc.edu

Website

Research Description:

Soucy’s lab investigates how stem cell-derived neurons can be used to rebuild damaged neural circuits and restore vision. He focuses on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the neurons responsible for transmitting visual information from the eye to the brain that are lost in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies.

Using stem cell-derived RGCs, he investigates the factors that govern their survival, migration, maturation, and functional integration following transplantation. A central question driving his research is: What determines whether an established neural circuit will accept a new neuron? He is particularly interested in how neuronal activity and the host tissue microenvironment influence the formation of new connections between transplanted and existing neurons.

By combining stem cell biology, retinal organoids, bioengineering, chemogenetics, and electrophysiology, he aims to uncover fundamental principles of neural circuit integration and translate these discoveries into new approaches for vision restoration.

Organ System/Disease Focus:
Retina, optic nerve, retinofugal pathway, glaucoma, optic neuropathies, retinal neurodegeneration, and vision loss

Aligned Research Focus:
Retinal tissue engineering, stem cell differentiation and neural development, and stem cell therapies