Lisa Hamm

M.Sc.

UPDATE: Lisa has graduated, and is now working for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). Her thesis work has been published.

I am a graduate student in Neuroscience. My project involves examining the secondary effects of rod cell death on the X. laevis retina. We are interested in the possibility that rod death may negatively impact cone health, in a manner similar to that seen in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. In addition, we are interested in the possible regenerative capacity of the amphibian retina.

I am fascinated by the ways in which vision affects our perception of the world. Beyond the laboratory I explore these ideas through visual art and anthropology. I have gained much from my time spent volunteering in developing nations, and am particularly interested in the effective delivery of optical assistance in these places.