Vascular inflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. Building on my experience in vascular biology and genomic medicine, my current research focuses on understanding the role of endothelial dysfunction on vascular attributes of diabetic retinopathy. The long-term goal of my lab is to study the role of IL-6 signaling in diabetic retinopathy and uncover precise molecular mechanisms to develop novel therapeutic targets. We are currently testing a pharmacological compound, sgp130-fused chimera (sgp130Fc), to selectively inhibit the IL-6 trans-signaling pathway to prevent the inflammation and retinal vascular dysfunction associated with diabetic retinopathy. My lab is utilizing both in vitro and rodent models of diabetic retinopathy to conduct our research.