John M. Sullivan MD, PhD
John M. Sullivan
MD, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Bioinformatics; Biophysical Modeling; Computational Drug Discovery; Drug Design; Drug Development; Drug Discovery; Electrophysiology; Gene Delivery; Gene Expression; Gene Therapy; Gene Therapy; Imaging In Vivo; Inherited Metabolic Disorders; Membrane Biophysics; Metalloenzymes; Molecular and Cellular Biology; Molecular Basis of Disease; Molecular diagnostics; Molecular genetics; Multimodal Imaging Technology; Nanoparticles; Neurodegenerative disorders; Ophthalmology; Pathophysiology; Pediatric Ophthalmology; Protein Folding; Retina; Retina – retinal disease and therapy; RNA; Transcription and Translation; Vision science
Contact Information
Patient Care
Patient Care
This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.
View this physician on UBMDProfessional Summary:
I am a Clinician Scientist working in the field of hereditary retinal and macular degenerations. I direct a regional referral service for these diseases at the Ross Eye Institute. My NIH- and VA-funded laboratory is focused on the development of gene-based and nucleic acid therapeutics for hereditary retinal degenerations and common age-related macular degeneration.
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, Retinal Degenerative Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (1994)
- Residency, Ophthalmology, Washington Univ. School Medicine, St. Louis MO (1992)
- MD, Medicine/Biophysics, Mount Sinai School Medicine, NY (1987)
- PhD, Biophysics, Medicine/Biophysics, Mount Sinai School Medicine (1987)
- BA, Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ (1979)
Employment:
- Professor, Ophthalmology, University at Buffalo- State University of New York Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2017-present)
- Staff Physician, VA Western NY Healthcare System (2004-present)
- Associate Professor with tenure, Ophthalmology, University at Buffalo- State University of New York Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2011–2017)
- Associate Professor- tenure track, Ophthalmology, University at Buffalo- State University of New York Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2004–2011)
- Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology, Upstate Medical University- State University of New York Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (1994–2004)
- Lecturer in Ophthalmology, University of Michigan (1992–1994)
- Fellow in Neurobiology; Staff Physician, Washington University School of Medicine; John Cochran Veterans Administration Hospital (1991–1992)
- Resident in Ophthalmology (PGY2- PGY4), Washington University School of Medicine (1988–1991)
- Intern (PGY1), St. John's Mercy Medical Center (1987–1988)
Awards and Honors:
- Invited and named to Scientific Advisory Board of the Foundation Fighting Blindness (2024)
- Invited to participate in UB VP Research and Economic Development panel examining opportunities for large scale funding (2023)
- Chair of the Ad Hoc Tenure and Promotions Committee of the JSMBS (2021)
Research Expertise:
- RNA and Nucleic Acid Drug Discovery: Our current efforts are directed to discovery of enhanced forms of catalytic RNAs for use as gene therapeutic agents or direct nucleic acid therapeutics
Research Centers:
- Ira G. Ross Eye Institute Research Center
UB 2020 Strategic Strengths:
- Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan
- Information and Computing Technology
- Integrated Nanostructured Systems
- Molecular Recognition in Biological Systems and Bioinformatics
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- January 2025–December 2027
A Ribozyme Rescue Strategy for Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration
VA Central Office
Role: Principal Investigator
$330,000 - August 2023–March 2027
Optimizing Enhanced Hammerhead Ribozymes for Retinal Nucleic Acid Therapeutics
NIH/NEI Scored 11% (Impact 28) on first submission.
Role: Principal Investigator
$2,239,262 - January 2022–December 2025
Development of Enhanced Hammerhead Ribozymes (E-hhRzs) as Therapeutics for AMD and other Retinal Diseases
JB McDonald Foundation, Evergreen CO Donald R. McJunkin, President
Role: Principal Investigator
$30,000 - October 2009–December 2024
A Ribozyme Rescue Strategy for Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Veterans Administration BLRD Merit Award
Role: Principal Investigator
$715,000 - April 2020–March 2024
Immunotherapy for acute lung injury secondary to influenze
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Role: Co-Investigator
$1,747,088 - September 2003–September 2022
A Ribozyme Rescue Strategy for Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa
National Eye Institute
Role: Principal Investigator
$975,000 - March 2020–September 2021
VA Merit Technology Transfer Supplement Award
Veterans Administration Central Office
Role: Principal Investigator
$100,000 - February 2019–September 2019
Shared Equipment Evaluation Program (ShEEP)- Upgrade of Retinal Optical Coherence Tomography Instrumentation
Veterans Administration- VA Central Office
Role: Principal Investigator
$470,000 - June 1996–May 2001
The Early Receptor Current of Rhodopsin Activation
National Eye Institute
Role: Principal Investigator
$350,000
Patents:
- Enhanced Hammerhead Ribozymes and Methods of Use which was filed on October 22, 2024 (2024)
- Enhanced Hammerhead Ribozymes and Methods of Using the Same World Patent Application (2023)
- “Enhanced Functionality Hammerhead Ribozymes and Methods of Using the Same.” Discovery and development of kinetically enhanced hammerhead ribozymes. (2022)
- COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR THERAPY OF MACULAR DEGENERATION An novel approach for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration and juvenile macular degeneration through the use of nucleic acid therapeutics. (2013)
- Method for identification of polynucleotides capable of cleaving target mRNA Approach to identify rare accessible regions in therapeutic target RNAs, and the development of high throughput screening approaches to identify lead nucleic acid therapeutic agents. (2012)
Journal Articles:
- Myers JM, Sullivan JM. (2022) Log-order improved in trans hammerhead ribozyme turnover rates: reevaluating therapeutic space for small catalytic RNAs. RNA (Submitted, in Revision) (Oct)
- Yau EH, Taggart RT, Zuber M, Trujillo AJ, Fayazi ZS, Butler MC, Sheflin LG, Breen JB, Yu D, Sullivan JM. (2019) Systematic Screening, Rational Development, and Initial Optimization of Efficacious RNA Silencing Agents for Human Rod Opsin Therapeutics. Transl Vis Sci Technol (Dec), 8(6): 28. doi:10.1167/tvst.8.6.28
- Froebel BR, Trujillo AJ, Sullivan JM. (2017) Effects of Pathogenic Variations in the Human Rhodopsin Gene (hRHO) on the Predicted Accessibility for a Lead Candidate Ribozyme. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (Jul), 58(9): 3576-3591. doi:10.1167/iovs.16-20877
- Yau EH, Butler MC, Sullivan JM. (2016) A cellular high-throughput screening approach for therapeutic trans-cleaving ribozymes and RNAi against arbitrary mRNA disease targets. Exp Eye Res (Oct), 151: 236-255. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2016.05.020
- Kolniak TA, Sullivan JM. (2011) Rapid, cell-based toxicity screen of potentially therapeutic post-transcriptional gene silencing agents. Exp Eye Res (May), 92(5): 328-337. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2011.01.004
- Abdelmaksoud HE, Yau EH, Zuker M, Sullivan JM. (2009) Development of lead hammerhead ribozyme candidates against human rod opsin mRNA for retinal degeneration therapy. Exp Eye Res (May), 88(5): 859-79. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2008.11.018
- Sullivan JM, Yau EH, Taggart RT, Butler MC, Kolniak TA. (2008) Bottlenecks in development of retinal therapeutic post-transcriptional gene silencing agents. Vision Res (Feb), 48(3): 453-469. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2007.09.011
- Brueggemann LI, Sullivan JM. (2002) HEK293S cells have functional retinoid processing machinery. J Gen Physiol (Jun), 119(6): 593-612. doi:10.1085/jgp.20018495
- Sullivan JM, Pietras KM, Shin BJ, Misasi JN. (2002) Hammerhead ribozymes designed to cleave all human rod opsin mRNAs which cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Mol Vis (Apr), 8: 102-113.
- Shukla P, Sullivan JM. (1999) Normal and mutant rhodopsin activation measured with the early receptor current in a unicellular expression system. J Gen Physiol (Nov), 114(5): 609-636. doi:10.1085/jgp.114.5.609
- Sullivan JM, Shukla P. (1999) Time-resolved rhodopsin activation currents in a unicellular expression system. Biophys J (Sep), 77(3): 1333-1357. doi:10.1016/S0006-3495(99)76983-3
- SULLIVAN J Shukla P . (1999) Time-resolved rhodopsin activation currents in a unicellular expression system. Biophysical J (Jan), 77(3): 1333-1357.
- Myers, Jason M; Sullivan, Jack M. (2024) Enhanced hammerhead ribozyme turnover rates: reevaluating therapeutic space for small catalytic RNAs. Molecular Therapy: Nucleic Acids (Dec) doi:doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102431
- Bryan R Gorman, Georgios Voloudakis, Robert P Igo Jr, Tyler Kinzy, Christopher W Halladay, Tim B Bigdeli, Biao Zeng, Sanan Venkatesh, Jessica N Cooke Bailey, Dana C Crawford, Kyriacos Markianos, Frederick Dong, Patrick A Schreiner, Wen Zhang; VA Million Veteran Program; International AMD Genomics Consortium (IAMDGC); Tamer Hadi, Matthew D Anger, Amy Stockwell, Ronald B Melles, Jie Yin, Hélène Choquet, Rebecca Kaye, Karina Patasova, Praveen J Patel, Brian L Yaspan, Eric Jorgenson, Pirro G Hysi, Andrew J Lotery, J Michael Gaziano, Philip S Tsao, Steven J Fliesler, Jack M Sullivan, Paul B Greenberg, Wen-Chih Wu, Themistocles L Assimes, Saiju Pyarajan, Panos Roussos, Neal S Peachey, Sudha K Iyengar. (2024) Genome-wide association analyses identify distinct genetic architectures for age-related macular degeneration across ancestries. Nature Genetics (Dec), 56(12): 2659-2671. doi:10.1038/s41588-024-01764-0
- Gupta PR, O'Connell K, Sullivan JM, Huckfeldt RM. (2024) RTN4IP1-associated non-syndromic optic neuropathy and rod-cone dystrophy. Ophthalmic Genet. (Jun), 45(3): 289-293. doi:doi: 10.1080/13816810.2024.2303683. Epub 2024 Jan 15. .
- Nealon CL, Halladay CW,....., Sullivan JM,....., Iyengar SK, Peachey NS. (2023) Association between Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, diabetes mellitus, and multimorbidity. Cornea (Sep), 42(9): 1140-1149.
- Bussing D, Li Y, Guo L, Verma A, Sullivan JM, Shah DK. (2023) Pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibody and antibody fragments in the mouse eye following intravitreal administration. J. Pharm. Sci. (Aug), 112(8): 2276-2284.
- Waksmunski AR, Kinzy TG, Cruz LA, Nealon CL, Halladay CW, Anthony SA, Greenberg PB, Sullivan JM, Wu WC, Iyengar SK, Crawford DC, Peachey NS, Cooke Bailey JN. (2023) Diversity is key for cross-ancestry transferability of glaucoma genetic risk scores in Hispanic Veterans in the Million Veteran Program. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing (Jan), 28: 413-424.
- Nealon CL, Halladay CW, Kinzy TG, Simpson P, Canania RL, Anthony SA, Roncone DP, Sawicki Rogers LR, Leber JN, Dougherty JM, Sullivan JM, Wu WC, Greenberg PB, Iyengar SK, Crawford DC, Peachey NS, Cooke Bailey JN; VA Million Veteran Program. (2022) Development and Evaluation of a Rules-based Algorithm for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in the VA Million Veteran Program. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. (Dec), 29(6): 640-648.
- Nealon CL, Halladay CW, Gorman BR, Simpson P, Roncone DP, Canania RL, Anthony SA, Sawicki Rogers LR, Leber JN, Dougherty JM, Cooke Bailey JN, Crawford DC, Sullivan JM, Galor A, Wu W-C, Greenberg PB, the Million Veteran Program, Lass JH, Iyengar SK, Peachey NS. medRxiv 2022.12.14.22283472; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.14.22283472. (2022) Association between Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy, Diabetes Mellitus and Multimorbidity. Cornea (Submitted) (Dec) doi:doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.14.22283472
- Waksmunski AR, Kinzy TG, Cruz LA, Nealon CL, Halladay CW, Simpson P, Canania RL, Anthony SA, Roncone DP, Sawicki Rogers L, Leber JN, Dougherty JM, Greenberg PB, Sullivan JM, Wu WC, Iyengar SK, Crawfor DC, Peachey NS, Cooke Bailey JN; VA Million Veteran Program. (2022) Glaucoma genetic risk scores in the Million Veteran Program. Ophthalmology (Nov), 129(11): 1263-1274.
- Gorman BR, Voloudakis G, Igo Jr RP, Kinzy T, Halladay CW, Bigdeli TB, Zeng B, Venkatesh S, Cooke Bailey JN, Crawford DC, Markianos K, Dong F, Schreiner P, Zhang W, VA Million Veteran Program, International AMD Genomics Consortium (IAMDGC), Hadi T, Anger MD, Stockwell AD, Melles RB, Yin J, Choquet H, Kaye R, Patasova K, Patel PJ, Yaspan BL, Jorgenson E, Hysi PG, Lotery AJ, Gaziano JM, Tsao PS, Fliesler SJ, Sullivan JM, Greenberg PB, Wu W-C, Assimes TL, Pyarajan S, Roussos P, Peachey NS, Iyengar SK. (2022) Distinctive cross-ancestry genetic architecture for age-related macular degeneration. Nat. Genet. (Submitted, in revision) (Oct)
- Myers JM and Sullivan JM. Archived (published) manuscript. (2022) Log-order improved in trans hammerhead ribozyme turnover rates: reevaluating therapeutic space for small catalytic RNAs. BioRxiv (Apr), BioRxiv_2022_489422: Archived (published) manuscript..
- Nealon CL, Halladay CW, Kinzy TG, Simpson P, Canania RL, Anthony SA, Roncone DP, Sawicki Rogers LR, Leber JN, Dougherty JM, Sullivan JM, Wu WC, Greenberg PB, Iyengar SK, Crawford DC, Peachey NS, Cooke Bailey JN; VA Million Veteran Program. (2021) Development and Evaluation of a Rules-based Algorithm for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in the VA Million Veteran Program. Ophthalmic Epidemiol (Nov), Nov 25: 1-9. doi:10.1080/09286586.2021.1992784
- Singh N, Ranjan P, Cao W, Patel J, Gangappa S, Davidson BA, Sullivan JM, Prasad PN, Knight PR, Sambhara S. (2020) A Dual-Functioning 5'-PPP-NS1shRNA that Activates a RIG-I Antiviral Pathway and Suppresses Influenza NS1. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids (Mar), 19(Mar 6): 19:1413-1422. doi:10.1016/j.omtn.2020.01.025
- Halladay CW, Hadi T, Anger MD, Greenberg PB, Sullivan JM, Konicki PE, Peachey NS, Igo RP Jr, Iyengar SK, Wu WC, Crawford DC; VA Million Veteran Program. (2019) Genetically-guided algorithm development and sample size optimization for age-related macular degeneration cases and controls in electronic health records from the VA Million Veteran Program. AMIA Jt Summits Transl Sci Proc (May), May 6: 153-162.
- Trujillo AJ, Myers JM, Fayazi ZS, Butler MC, Sullivan JM. (2019) A Discovery with Potential to Revitalize Hammerhead Ribozyme Therapeutics for Treatment of Inherited Retinal Degenerations. Adv Exp Med Biol. (Jan), 1185: 119-124. doi:doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-27378-1_20
- Butler MC, Sullivan JM. (2018) Ultrahigh Resolution Mouse Optical Coherence Tomography to Aid Intraocular Injection in Retinal Gene Therapy Research. J Vis Exp (Nov), 141(Nov 2): 10.3791/55894. doi:10.3791/55894
- Butler MC, Sullivan JM. (2015) A Novel, Real-Time, In Vivo Mouse Retinal Imaging System. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (Nov), 56(12): 7159-7168. doi:10.1167/iovs.14-16370
- Flynn E, Ueda K, Auran E, Sullivan JM, Sparrow JR. (2014) Fundus autofluorescence and photoreceptor cell rosettes in mouse models. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (Jul), 55(9): 5643-52. doi:10.1167/iovs.14-14136
- Sullivan JM, Yau EH, Taggart RT, Butler MC, Kolniak TA. (2012) Relieving bottlenecks in RNA drug discovery for retinal diseases. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. (Jan), 723: 145-53. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-0631-0_20
- Sullivan JM, Yau EH, Kolniak TA, Sheflin LG, Taggart RT, Abdelmaksoud HE. (2011) Variables and strategies in development of therapeutic post-transcriptional gene silencing agents. J Ophthalmol (Jun), 2011: 531380-531380. doi:10.1155/2011/531380
- Butler MC, Itotia PN, Sullivan JM. (2010) A high-throughput biophotonics instrument to screen for novel ocular photosensitizing therapeutic agents. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (May), 51(5): 2705-2720. doi:10.1167/iovs.08-2862
- Sullivan JM. (2009) Focus on molecules: ABCA4 (ABCR)--an import-directed photoreceptor retinoid flipase. Exp Eye Res (Nov), 89(5): 602-3. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2009.03.005
- Brueggemann LI, Sullivan JM. (2001) All-trans-Retinal forms a visible-absorbing pigment with human rod opsin. Biochemistry (Apr), 40(14): 4446-4453. doi:10.1021/bi002267g
- SULLIVAN J. (2001) Rhodopsin charge motions in the Schiff base counterion mutant E113Q. Invest. Ophthal. Vis. Sci (Jan), 42(S184)
- SULLIVAN J Brueggemann L Anumonwo J. (2001) Voltage and proton sensitivity of rhodopsin activation. Biophys. J. (Jan), 80(19a)
- SULLIVAN J L Chiu GM Seigel. (2000) Rhodopsin-induced apoptosis in a human cell culture system. Invest. Ophthal. Vis. Sci (Jan), 41(S404).
- SULLIVAN J L Brueggemann P Shukla. (2000) An electrical approach to study rhodopsin activation in single cells with the early receptor current assay. Methods in Enzymology (Jan), 315: 268-293.
- Sullivan JM, Satchwell MF. (2000) Development of stable cell lines expressing high levels of point mutants of human opsin for biochemical and biophysical studies. . Methods in Enzymology (Jan), 315: 30-58. doi:10.1016/s0076-6879(00)15833-1
- SULLIVAN J P Shukla. (1999) Time-resolved rhodopsin activation: early receptor current studies in a unicellular expression system. Biophysical J (Jan), 76(148a).
- SULLIVAN J Pietras KM Shin B. (1998) Design and testing of hammerhead ribozymes to cleave full-length opsin mRNA. Invest. Ophthal. Vis. Sci. (Jan), 39(S722).
- SULLIVAN J Satchwell MF. (1998) Development of stable cell lines expressing mutant human rhodopsins. Invest. Ophthal. Vis. Sci (Jan), 39(S958).
- SULLIVAN J. (1998) Low-cost monochromatic microsecond flash microbeam apparatus for single-cell photolysis of rhodopsin or other photolabile pigments. Rev. Sci. Inst (Jan)527-539.
- Mason G, Sullivan JM, Olk RJ. (1990) A sutureless self-retaining infusion canula for pars plana vitrectomy. Am. J. Ophthalmol. (Jan), 110(5): 577-578. doi:10.1016/s0002-9394(14)77893-6
- SULLIVAN J Liebovitch LS. (1987) Fractal analysis of a voltage dependent potassium channel from cultured mouse hippocampal neurons. Biophysical J (Jan), 52(6): 979-988. doi:10.1016/S0006-3495(87)83290-3
- Myers JM and Sullivan JM. (1900) Enhanced hammerhead ribozyme turnover rates: reevaluating therapeutic space for small catalytic RNAs. Molecular Therapy- Nucleic Acids (Jan)
- Gupta PR, O'Connell K, Sullivan JM, Huckfeldt RM. (1900) RTN4IP1-Associated non-syndromic optic neuropathy and rod cone dystrophy. Ophthalmic Genetics (Jan)
Abstracts:
- Myers JM, Sullivan JM. (2020) RNA Structure-Function Properties in Facilitated hammerhead ribozymes with unprecedented catalytic rates. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). United States (Jun) 2293, (2293) Oral
- Jason Myers; Jack M Sullivan. (2024) Enhanced Hammerhead Ribozyme Function in vivo: Developing Therapeutic Space for Catalytic RNAs. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, 2024. Seattle, WashingtonUnited States (Apr) 6093, (6093) Poster
- Zheng EW, Sullivan JM. (2023) Systematic bioinformatics evaluation of mutation-dependent versus mutation-independent knockdown nucleic acid therapeutic strategies for dominant genetic diseases. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). New Orleans, LouisianaUnited States (Apr) 1869, (3882257) Poster
- Oladele-Ajose A, Sullivan JM. (2023) Multivariable bioinformatics investigation to identify functional sites in 5' untranslated regions of RHO mRNAs in animal models. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). New Orleans, LouisianaUnited States (Apr) 1858, (3880741) Poster
- Myers JM and Sullivan JM. (2023) Kinetically Enhanced Hammerhead Ribozymes Cleave Large Structured Target mRNAs. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). New Orleans, LouisianaUnited States (Apr) 800, (3882943) Poster
- Schwartz A, Myers JM, Sullivan JM. (2023) Investigating properties of a novel human rhodopsin mutation causing retinitis pigmentosa. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). New Orleans, LouisianaUnited States (Apr) 4504, (3882001) Poster
- Waksmunski AR, Kinzy T, Cruz LA, Nealon CL, Halladay CW, Anthony SA, Greenberg PB, Sullivan JM, Wu WC, Iyengar SK, Crawford DC, Peachey N, Cooke Bailey J. (2022) Cross-ancestry glaucoma genetic risk score in Hispanic Veterans in the Million Veteran Program. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Denver, ColoradoUnited States (Jul) 1129 Poster
- Sullivan JM, Myers JM. (2022) RNA Structure-function properties of enhanced hammerhead ribozymes with high catalytic efficiency. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Denver, ColoradoUnited States (Jun) 78- A0051., (ID 3711619) Poster
- Seraly M, Sullivan JM. (2022) A novel homozygous nonsense mutation in the PDE6C gene discovered in a patient with achromatopsia. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Denver, ColoradoUnited States (Jun) 140- A0320., (ID 3707765) Poster
- Myers JM, Sullivan JM. (2022) Synthetic Nuclease Resistant Enhanced Hammerhead Ribozymes for Nucleic Acid Ocular Therapeutics. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Denver, ColoradoUnited States (Jun) 55- A0028 Poster
- Shi M, Greyner-Almeida H, Sima, A, Teigen R, Gianfagna P, Plotke B, Sullivan JM, Millen AE, Patel SP. (2022) Association among basement membrane diseases of the eye: Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), anterior basement membrane dystrophy (ABMD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). Denver, ColoradoUnited States (Jun) 3457- A0127, (ID 3708602) Poster
- Myers JM, Sullivan JM. (2021) Enhanced hammerhead ribozymes as synthetic nucleic acid ocular therapeutics. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Assoc for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Baltimore, MarylandUnited States (Jun) 1203, (1203) Poster
- Cooke Bailey J, ......., Sullivan JM, Crawford D, Iyengar SK. (2021) POAG genetic risk score performs worse in African-descent than European descent samples, highlighting need for expanded genetic studies in diverse populations. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). United States (Jun) 1513, (1513) Poster
- Sullivan JM, Myers JM. (2020) A facilitated hammerhead ribozyme rhodopsin therapeutic with catalytic efficiency on par with ribonuclease A at cellular free Mg2+ levels. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). United States (Jun) 4481 Poster
- Igo R, Kinzy TG, Halladay CW, Crawford DC Greenberg PB, Sullivan JM,......, Peachey NS, Iyengar SK. (2020) Phenome-wide association analysis on risk variants for age-related macular degeneration reveals shared genetic influences with a wide range of disorders; the Million Veteran Program. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). United States (Jun) 3518 Poster
- Cooke-Bailey J, Nealon CL, Halladay CW,....., Sullivan JM, Wy W-C, Peachey NS. (2020) Computable phenotyping for primary open-angle glaucoma using electronic health records in the Million Veteran Program. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). United States (Jan) 4555, (4555) Poster
Professional Memberships:
- American Society for Cell and Gene Therapy; Society focused on research, training, and publications pertinent to cell and gene based therapeutics (2023–present)
- Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO); Clinical/Research in Vision society (1988–present)
- Biophysical Society; Society focused on the science of biophysics, education, and research (1983–present)
Presentations:
- "Updates from the Catalytic Core" Joint Vision Research Group Meeting (2024)
- "A Future of AMD Treatments" 33rd International Congress of German Ophthalmological Surgeons DOC- Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Ophthalmochirurgie. (2021)
- "Hammerhead Ribozymes with Protein-Level Catalytic Rates- Revitalizing a Post-Transcriptional Modality for Therapeutic RNA Drug Discovery" Drug Discovery Development and Lead Optimization Virtual Meeting United Scientific Group (2020)
Service Activities:
- SAB member. Reviews and scores Letters of Intent, Reviews and scores full grant proposals, Participates in NIH-like grant study section.; Scientific Advisory Board Member- Foundation Fighting Blindness (2024–2030)
- Committee mentoring John C. Hu, MD PhD (Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease); Faculty Mentoring Committee (2023–present)
- Judged research posters of UB undergraduate students in the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) for last two years.; Research Symposium Judge (2023–present)
- Ellicott Elementary School Science Night 5180 Ellicott Road, Orchard Park, NY 14127 With fellow UB Ophthalmology Department colleague ran a table where aspects of clinical and research ophthalmology were presented to children and their parents. Identified two children with likely color vision problems and referred them to Ross Eye Institute for evaluation. Ran this last two years and plan on continuing.; Presenter (2023–present)
- Ad hoc interviews of MD PhD applicants and Metric Data reviewer of applicant files and writing reviews for interview teams; M.D., Ph.D. Committee Member (2022–present)
- Chair, Ad hoc JSMBS Tenure and Promotions Committee; Chair (2021–2022)
- Idea Champion for UB-CNAT in Biotechnology Section for Endless Frontiers initiative and USICA initiatives at the level of the VP Research and Economic Development office.; Group of Three Idea Champions (2021–present)
- Review Fellowship applications for a Frawley award to fellows conducting clinical research; Thomas Frawley MD Fellowship Application Reviewer (2021)
- Undergraduate student from Canisius College referred by local community Ophthalmologist to discuss career path and plans.; Advisor (2021–present)
- Brought Concept of UB- Center for Nucleic Acid Therapeutics (UB-CNAT) to UB Bold Ideas Program. Concept Selected for Development; Idea Champion (2021–present)
- Jewish Federation Apartments, Amherst NY. Gave talk on Age-Related Macular Degeneration and development of therapies.; Speaker (2020–present)
- Ad hoc JSMBS Tenure and Promotions Committee; Member (2019–present)
- Chair Departmental IRB. Direct Clinical Research Project reviews for UB Clinical Research Office; Chair of Departmental IRB Committee (2019–2022)
- Designated Faculty Lead to UB JSMBS Development Office for Philanthropy; Lead (2018–present)
- David Bussing PhD thesis: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutics "Evaluation of Pharmacokinetics of Protein Therapeutics for Ocular Disorders"; PhD Thesis Committee member. Served in advisory status for research conducted which was ophthalmological/retinal therapeutics in nature (2018–2021)
- Proposed Idea to Dean JSMBS for UB- Center for Nucleic Acids Therapeutics (UB-CNAT); Idea Champion (2018–present)
- Senior Clinician Scientist Faculty Mentor for Sangita P Patel MD PhD- provide guidance and strategic advise on career path, grant applications, and science development; Senior Clinician Scientist Faculty Mentor for Sangita P. Patel, MD PhD (2017–2024)
- Faculty Tenure and Promotions Committee; Member (2017–present)
- Editorial Board of Molecular Vision; Member (2011–present)
- Multiple Journals (e.g., IOVS, Biophysical J, Exp Eye Res, Vision Research); Reviewer (2008–present)
- Ad Hoc Reviewer multiple NIH Study Sections (e.g., BIVT, DPVS, others); Member (Recently on NIH BIVT study section) (2006–present)
- Founder and Director of Inherited Retinal Degeneration Program and Clinical Retinal Electrophysiology Service; Director of Retinal Degeneration Service (2004–present)
- Ad hoc MD PhD Committee Member; Committee Support (2004–present)