Carisa K. Petris, MD, PhD

University of Missouri – Columbia (MU)

My research focus involves elucidating the molecular mechanisms of dry eye disease (DED) in mouse models of dry eye disease and ultimately translation of findings to clinical studies. Dry eye disease may affect up to 30% of the population and treatment is primarily palliative. The most common forms of DED are aqueous deficiency DED, from decreased aqueous production of the lacrimal and accessory lacrimal glands, and evaporative DED, related to poor production of lipid from the meibomian glands. My research interests specifically look at the role of the nucleotide receptor, P2X7R, in mouse models of evaporative DED and autoimmune aqueous deficiency DED, in addition to fibroblast growth factor receptor 7 (FGFR7) modulation in mouse models and human meibomian gland tissue specimens in meibomian gland dysfunction.