The Wallace lab strives to develop therapies to restore vision loss and to understand how pediatric brain tumors form.
Meet Dr. Valerie Wallace as she discusses what inspires and drives her research.
Vision Science
Our vision research program aims to develop an effective cell-based therapy to treat blinding eye diseases by uncovering how cell-to-cell communication regulates progenitor cells in the eye.
Medulloblastoma
Medulloblastoma is the most common pediatric brain tumor, but it’s difficult to study as patient biopsies usually represent late stages of the disease. Using a model, we’re studying the early stages of tumor formation.
Latest Publications
Photoreceptor nanotubes mediate the in vivo exchange of intracellular material
Ortin-Martinez A, et al. EMBO J. 2021; e107264.
Norrin mediates tumor-promoting and -suppressive effects in glioblastoma via Notch and Wnt
El-Sehemy A, et al. J Clin Invest. 2020;130(6):3069-3086.
Modeling of photoreceptor donor-host interaction following transplantation reveals a role for Crx, Müller glia, and rho/ROCK signaling in neurite outgrowth
Tsai ELS, et al. Stem Cells. 2019;37(4):529-541.
Material exchange in photoreceptor transplantation: updating our understanding of donor/host communication and the future of cell engraftment science
Nickerson PEB, et al. Front Neural Circuits. 2018;12:17.
Student Opportunities
Dr. Valerie Wallace’s lab is located in the heart of Toronto’s Discovery District and is connected with several hospitals and research institutes.
The Wallace lab is affiliated with the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (LMP) at the University of Toronto located at the downtown St. George campus. LMP has both an MSc and a PhD graduate program.
The Vision Science Research Program is a partnership between the University of Toronto and the Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute. MSc and PhD students studying vision science can apply to the program for graduate funding.
The Office of Research Trainees (ORT) supports all postdoctoral fellows, and MSc and PhD students, at UHN providing career development opportunities, conference travel grants, etc.
Located at Toronto Western Hospital, the Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute is a division of UHN’s Krembil Research Institute that focuses on developing sight-saving treatments.