783: Studying the Biology of Eye Diseases to Inform the Development of New Therapies - Dr. Ruchira Singh

People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Dr. Ruchira Singh is an Associate Professor and the recipient of the Dean’s Professorship in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Rochester Medical Center where she also has joint appointments in the Department of Biomedical Genetics and the Center for Visual Science. Ruchira studies eye diseases to understand why some people can’t see as well as others, and the knowledge gained can be used to develop new treatments for diseases like age-related macular degeneration and Batten disease, which can cause blindness. When she’s not working, Ruchira loves spending time with her two kids. Even the small, everyday moments they spend together doing things like going to McDonalds, the park, or their local library bring her so much joy. Ruchira received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) in India, and she completed her graduate studies in Physiology at Kansas State University. Next, Ruchira conducted postdoctoral research in Pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine, followed by a postdoc position in stem cell research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She joined the faculty at the University of Rochester in 2014. In this interview, Ruchira discusses her life and science.