Research Faculty

Tongalp H. Tezel, M.D.

Associate Professor
of Ophthalmology

Kentucky Lions Endowed Chair
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Director of Fellowship
Program in Vitreoretinal
Diseases and Surgery

CONTACT INFORMATION:

301 E. Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Louisville KY 40202
Telephone: 502-852-5466 Fax: 502-852-3811
E-mail: Tongalp.Tezel@louisville.edu

EDUCATION:

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

I am a clinician-scientist who has an active research laboratory focused on investigating the molecular mechanisms of various retinal diseases. I have been intensely involved in cutting-edge retinal research throughout my career and employ advanced experimental techniques, such as genomic and proteomic analysis in my research. My main research interests include pharmacologic vitreolysis, tissue engineering and drug development for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. I have been involved with retinal cell transplantation studies for more than a decade and developed several techniques used for tissue harvest and delivery. My innovative work resulted in several new patents regarding the discovery of new treatment options for patients with retinal diseases.

My laboratory has been working on age-related macular degeneration and angiogenesis to better understand the pathobiology of this devastating disease. Age-related macular degeneration is associated with aging and it gradually destroys the central vision. Although there are several treatments available to our patients none of them is a cure for age-related macular degeneration since the disease process progresses despite treatment. Obviously the reason for not effectively preventing macular degeneration or treating patients effectively is the lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms causing this disease. To fill in this gap, I have been working systematically to uncover the pathophysiological pathways leading to age-related macular degeneration. I was the first one to demonstrate the detachment-induced cell death of retinal pigment epithelial cells. This discovery changed the whole field of retinal cell transplantations and initiated the efforts to tissue engineer the damaged retina with synthetic polymers and retinal cell transplantation. I collectively named these reconstructive efforts, “Maculoplasty.” I have recently created the proteomic maps of retinal cells which led to the discovery of hemoglobin and immunoglobin synthesis within the retinal pigment cells. These observations have revolutionized our understanding of oxygen transport and immune response in the retina and shed light to molecular pathobiology of age-related macular degeneration.

I am also the inventor of the use of the enzyme Dispase for inducing pharmacological vitreolysis. This non-invasive separation of the vitreous gel from the retina can eliminate the need for surgery for several vitreoretinal diseases including macular holes, vitreomacular traction syndromes and diabetic eye disease.

Being a clinician-scientist allows me to bring scientific developments to my patients in a timely manner. A good example is the use of genetic analysis to determine the risk of acquiring macular degeneration and predicting the response to treatment.

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND AFFILIATIONS:

• American Academy of Ophthalmology - Diplomate
• Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
• American Society of Retina Specialists
• The Macula Society
• The Retina Society
• Kentucky Association of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
• Louisville Academy of Ophthalmology
• Jefferson County Medical Society
• Research to Prevent Blindness
• Washington University Alumni Association
• Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons Alumni Association
• Alpha Omega Alpha

PUBLICATIONS: (15 selected publications from 116)

1. Tezel TH, Kaplan HJ, Del Priore LV. Posterior vitreous detachment with Dispase. Retina 1998;18:7-15. PMID: 9502275
2. Tezel TH, Del Priore LV. Serum-free media for culturing and serial-passaging of adult human retinal pigment epithelium. Exp Eye Res 1998;66:807-815. PMID: 9657913
3. Tezel TH, Kaplan HJ. Harvest and storage of adult human photoreceptor cells: the vibratome compared to the excimer laser. Curr Eye Res 1998;17:748-756. PMID: 9678421
4. Tezel TH, Del Priore LV. TGF-beta secretion modulates the density-dependent growth of pig retinal pigment epithelium in vitro. Ophthalmic Res 1999;31:192-202. PMID: 10224502
5. Tezel TH, Del Priore LV. Repopulation of different layers of host human Bruch's membrane by retinal pigment epithelial cell grafts. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1999;40:767-74. PMID: 10067982
6. Tezel TH, Del Priore LV, Kaplan HJ. Reengineering of aged Bruch's membrane to enhance retinal pigment epithelium repopulation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004; 45:3337-3348. PMID: 15326159
7. Tezel TH, Bora N, Kaplan, HJ. Pathogenesis of Age-related Macular Degeneration. Trends Mol Med, 2004; 10(9):417-420. PMID: 15350892
8. Tezel TH, Geng L, Del Priore LV, Kaplan HJ. Retinal pigment epithelium rescues vascular epithelium from retinoic acid-induced apoptosis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2006; 47:5075-5087. PMID: 17065529
9. Tezel TH, Bodek E, Sonmez K, Kaliappan S, Hu Z, Garen A, Kaplan, HJ. Targeting tissue factor for immunotherapy of choroidal neovascularization by intravitreal delivery of factor VII-Fc chimeric antibody. Ocul Immunol Inflamm, 2007; 15:3-10. PMID: 17365800
10. Tezel TH, Del Priore LV, Berger A, Kaplan HJ. Adult retinal pigment epithelium transplantation in exudative age-related macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol, 2007; 143: 584-595. PMID: 17303061
11. Tezel TH, Kaplan HJ. Are intravitreal anti-VEGF antibodies safe? Ocul Immunol Inflamm, 2007; 15:1-2. PMID: 17365799
12. Del Priore LV, Tezel TH, Kaplan HJ. Maculoplasty for age-related macular degeneration: Reengineering Bruch’s membrane and the human macula. Prog Ret Eye Res, 2006; 25: 539-562. PMID: 17071125
13. Schaal S, Kaplan HJ, Tezel TH. Is there tachyphylaxis to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor pharmacotherapy in age-related macular degeneration? Ophthalmology, 2008; 115:2199-2205. PMID: 18930553
14. Tezel TH, Geng L, Lato EB, Schaal S, Liu Y, Dean DC, Klein JB, Kaplan HJ. Synthesis and secretion of hemoglobin by retinal pigment epithelium. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2009; 50:1911-1919. PMID: 19060278
15. Valentín-Rodríguez C, Tezel TH, Ivanisevic A. Quantitative analysis of human internal limiting membrane extracted from patients with macular holes. Langmuir, 2010; 26:12810-12816. PMID: 20597525