Professor emerita of Biomedical Science
Education
Postdoctoral Research Associate听Department of Pharmacology听Northwestern University听1986.
Postdoctoral Research Associate听Department of Internal Medicine听University of Iowa听1983.
Burroughs-Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow听Department of Internal Medicine听University of Iowa听1982.
Ph D听Pharmacology and Toxicology听University of Iowa听1981.
MS听Pharmacology and Microbiology听Idaho State University听1976.
BS听Microbiology听Idaho State University听1973.
Interests & Expertise
Janis Eells鈥檚 research focuses on the ways to treat Retinal Degeneration and Disease.
The Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Retinal Degeneration and Disease
Mitochondria play a key role in cellular energy metabolism and intracellular signaling processes. These organelles are involved in many complex signaling cascades regulating both cell survival and cell death. Importantly, mitochondrial dysfunction and the resulting oxidative stress are central in the pathogenesis of aging and degenerative diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration and Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.
Research in her laboratory is directed at understanding the mitochondrial signaling pathways that regulate the processes of cellular aging and degeneration with the long-term goal of learning how to protect cells and tissues against these degenerative processes.
Photobiomodulation in Retinal Degeneration and Disease
Evidence is growing that exposure of cells to low-energy photon irradiation in the near-infrared (NIR) range of the spectrum, collectively termed photobiomodulation (PBM), can restore the function of damaged mitochondria, upregulate the production of cytoprotective factors and prevent apoptotic cell death.
Photobiomodulation has been applied clinically in the treatment of soft tissue injuries and acceleration of wound healing for more than 40 years. Photobiomodulation studies in Eells鈥� laboratory have demonstrated improved clinical outcomes, increased production of cytoprotective factors and improved cell survival in animal models of Parkinson鈥檚 disease, diabetes mellitus and retinal degeneration.
Investigations into the mechanisms of photobiomodulation have shown that NIR photons are absorbed by the mitochondrial photoacceptor molecule, cytochrome c oxidase triggering intracellular signaling pathways that culminate in improved mitochondrial energy metabolism, increased cytoprotective factor production and cell survival. Research in her laboratory employs electrophysiological, neuroimaging, histochemical and molecular methodologies.
Selected Publications
Gopalakrishnan, S., Mehrvar, S., Maleki, S., Schmitt, H., Summerfelt, P., Dubis, A. M., Abroe, B., Connor, T. B., Carroll, J., Huddleston, W. E., Ranji, M., & Eells, J. T. (2020, December).听听Scientific Reports,听10(1).
Pinilla, I., Fern谩ndez-S谩nchez, L., Segura, F. J., S谩nchez-Cano, A. I., Tamarit, J. M., Fuentes-Broto, L., Eells, J. T., Lax, P., & Cuenca, N. (2016, September).听听Experimental Eye Research,听150, 122-134.
Eells, J. T., Gopalakrishnan, S., & Valter, K. (2016, January (1st Quarter/Winter)).听听Advances in experimental medicine and biology,听854, 437-41.
Gonzalez-Garcia, S., Hernandez-Diaz, Z., Quevedo-Sotolongo, L., Pena-Sanchez, M., Pino-Pina, Y., Fernandez-Carriera, R., Menendez-Sainz, C., Gonzalez-Quevedo, A., & Eells, J. T. (2014). Resistive cerebral blood flow as a potential marker of subclinical brain damage in essential hypertension.听World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases,听4, 169-178.
Coleman, K., Johnstone, D. M., Torres, N., Eells, J. T., Baker, G. E., Ashkan, K., Stone, J., Benabid, A., & Mitrofanis, J. (2014).听听Chronophysiology and Therapy,听4, 1-14.
Pena-Sanchez, M., Gonzalez-Garcia, S., Riveron-Forment, G., Fernandex-Concepcion, O., Martinez-Bonne, O., Lemus-Molina, G., Fernandez-Almirall, I., Menendez-Sainz, M., Gonzalez-Quevedo, A., & Eells, J. T. (2014). Association of serum antioxidant enzymes and nervous tissue markers in hypertensive patients.听World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases,听4, 160-168.
Maleki, S., Gopalakrishnan, S., Ghanian, Z., Spehr, R., Schmitt, H., Eells, J. T., & Ranji, M. (2013).听听J. Biomed. Optics,听18(1), 1-8.
Muili, K. A., Gopalakrishnan, S., Meyer, S. L., Eells, J. T., & Lyons, J. (2013).听听PLoS One,听8(6), e67358.
Tang, J., Du, U., Lee, C. A., Talahalli, R., Eells, J. T., & Kern, T. S. (2013).听听Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci,听54(5), 3681-3690.
Muili, K. A., Gopalakrishnan, S., Meyer, S. L., Eells, J. T., & Lyons, J. (2012).听听PLoS One,听7, 30655.
Wasson, C. J., Zourelias, J. L., Aardsma, N. A., Eells, J. T., Ganger, M. T., Schober, J. M., & Skwor, T. A. (2012).听听BMC Microbiology,听12, 176-186.
Eells, J. T., Quirk, B., DeSmete, K., Henry, M., Buchmann, E., Wong-Riley, M., & Whelan, H. (2012).听听Frontiers in Bioscience,听4, 818-823.
Albarracin, R., Eells, J. T., & Valter, K. (2011).听听Invest. Opthalmol. Vis. Sci.,听52(6), 3582-3592.
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Honors & Awards
Research Foundation Senior Faculty Award听(2016)听University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Dean鈥檚 Research Award听(2015)听College of Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Wisconsin Distinguished Professorship听(2004)听Wisconsin Distinguished Professorship Program.
Chairperson of Task Force responsible for the formation of the Environmental Health Criteria for Methanol听(1997)听World Health Organization.
Invited Participant-Methanol Work Group听(1992)听Health Effects Institute: Mobile Air Toxics Workshop.
Postdoctoral Fellowship听(1984)听National Institutes of Health.
Postdoctoral Fellowship听(1981)听Burroughs-Wellcome.
Pre-doctoral Fellowship听(1977)听National Institutes of Health.
Graduate Fellowship听(1975)听American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education.
Undergraduate Research Fellowship听(1973)听National Science Foundation.
