Name: Yumiko Umino

Hometown: Japan

Education: PhD

When you started at the CVR: September 2003

Why I became interested in vision research: During my undergraduate years, I found the visual phototransduction cascade to be quite interesting. It’s amazing that cells (photoreceptors) can convert light into electrical signals which allow us to see and discern differences in light intensity and color.

Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate

Current Research Focus: One of my research interests is to understand the relationship between blood glucose level and vision. It is known that a blind spot appears in the central visual field of people when their blood glucose level drops below normal levels. This scotoma also occurs in over-medicated diabetic patients receiving excessive amounts of insulin. Why is it that only "central" vision is lost with low glucose, whereas "peripheral" vision remains normal? Answering this important question may also provide insights into the mechanisms causing age-related macular degeneration, a blinding disease that is characterized by loss of central vision. Continuing the work of Dr. R. Barlow, I am trying to answer these questions using the chronically hypoglycemic mice as a model. I study their retinas and retinal function using immunohistochemistry and ERGs and study their vision by measuring their optomotor responses to moving patters.