Rajesh C Rao, MD
Leonard G Miller Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Associate Professor of Pathology
Associate Professor of Human Genetics
Medical School
University of Michigan
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
1000 Wall Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
[email protected]
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
1000 Wall Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Available to mentor
Rajesh C Rao, MD
Associate Professor
Manage Your Profile
Qualifications
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FellowshipWashington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
2011 - 2013
Clinical Fellowship
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ResidencyHarvard University, Boston, United States
2008 - 2011
Residency
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Research FellowHarvard Medical School, Ophthalmology, Boston, United States
2008 - 2011
Postdoctoral Research
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InternshipNorthwestern University, Internal Medicine, Evanston, United States
2007 - 2008
Internship
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Research ScholarNational Institutes of Health, Neural Stem Cell Signaling and Metabolism, Bethesda, United States
2004 - 2006
Other
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Research ScholarHoward Hughes Medical Institute, Bethesda, United States
2005 - 2006
Other
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CertificateWashington University Medical Center, Cellular and Developmental Biology, St Louis, United States
1999 - 1999
Other
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CertificateUniversity of Wisconsin Health, Center for Biology Education, Madison, United States
1996 - 1996
Other
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CertificateUniversity of Wisconsin, Superior, United States
1995 - 1995
Other
Center Memberships
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Center MemberCenter for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics
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Center MemberGlobal REACH
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Center MemberTaubman Institute
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Center MemberBiosciences Initiative
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Center MemberCenter for Cell Plasticity and Organ Design
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Center MemberRogel Cancer Center
Research Overview
Stem cells for regeneration of retina and central nervous system
Epigenetics and chromatin modifying enzymes
Retinal development
Hereditary and age-related retinal degenerations
Retinal Detachment
Proliferative vitreoretinopathy
Tumors of the eye/orbit
Recent Publications
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Iannoccone A, Leng T, Yonekawa Y, Prasad P, Wirthlin RS, Heier JS, Yan J, Hau VS, Calzada JI, Csaky KG, Rao R, Sheth V, Gupta S, Lauer A, Woloszynek J, Lee Y, Huang Y, Kirkpatrick J, van Kesteren T, Martinez Fernandez A, Chidambaram J, Regillo C. 2026 May 3;Proceeding / Abstract / PosterSubretinal Retinal Pigment Epithelium(RPE) Transplantation for the Treatment of Advanced Geographic Atrophy (GA): Preliminary Phase 1b Results of the 7317-CL-0003 Trial
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Iannoccone A, Leng T, Yonekawa Y, Prasad P, Wirthlin RS, Heier JS, Yan J, Hau VS, Calzada JI, Csaky KG, Rao R, Sheth V, Gupta S, Lauer A, Woloszynek J, Lee Y, Huang Y, Kirkpatrick J, van Kesteren T, Martinez Fernandez A, Chidambaram J, Regillo C. 2026 May 3;Proceeding / Abstract / PosterSubretinal Retinal Pigment Epithelium(RPE) Transplantation for the Treatment of Advanced Geographic Atrophy (GA): Preliminary Phase 1b Results of the 7317-CL-0003 Trial
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Rao R, Sczcepanski JM, Betz BL, Brown NA. 2026 Feb 27;Proceeding / Abstract / PosterImproved Detection of Vitreoretinal Lymphoma and Higher Disease Burden within Cell-Free Component of Ocular Specimens Based on MYD88 L265P Analysis
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Rao R, Sczcepanski JM, Betz BL, Brown NA. 2026 Feb 27;Proceeding / Abstract / PosterImproved Detection of Vitreoretinal Lymphoma and Higher Disease Burden within Cell-Free Component of Ocular Specimens Based on MYD88 L265P Analysis
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Rosenthal J. Journal of Academic Ophthalmology, 2025 May 6;Journal ArticleOphthalmology at the Veterans Health Administration: How Sex and Other Factors Affect Salary
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Soifer M, Caplash S, Rao RC, Wang HW, Yuan CM, Papanicolau-Sengos A, Xi L, Bellur S, Kodati S. Npj Precision Oncology, 2025 Dec 1; 9 (1):Journal ArticleMolecular analysis of bilateral T-cell vitreoretinal lymphoma
DOI:10.1038/s41698-025-00870-4 -
Carmen TJ, Parkinson DH, Habib NB, Ryan CW, DuPuis DT, Rosenthal JM, Kim DS, John DA, Maiz AM, Rao RC. JAO, 2026 Feb 12; 17 (3): 243 - 253.Journal ArticleOphthalmology at the Veterans Health Administration: how sex and other factors affect salary
DOI:10.62199/2475-4757.1310 -
Carmen TJ, Parkinson DH, Habib NB, Ryan CW, DuPuis DT, Rosenthal JM, Kim DS, John DA, Maiz AM, Rao RC. JAO, 2026 Feb 12; 17 (3): 243 - 253.Journal ArticleOphthalmology at the Veterans Health Administration: how sex and other factors affect salary
DOI:10.62199/2475-4757.1310
Featured News & Stories
Department News
Highlighted Publications: August - December 2025
Department of Human Genetics faculty are involved in widely diverse areas of research, from Genome Structure and Function research to Evolutionary and Population Genetics.
Health Lab
RNA modifications control how stem cells develop into retinal cells
Researchers from the University of Michigan investigated which signals control the development of stem cells into retinal cells. Their findings could help inform future research into creating cells for transplantation and screening promising drugs for retinal diseases.
Health Lab
Adult stem cells show therapeutic promise in treating vision loss from macular degeneration
Researchers used retinal pigment epithelial stem cells derived from adult postmortem eye tissue in a phase 1/2a clinical trial. This is the first treatment to show promise for age-related macular degeneration or AMD.
Department News
Highlighted Publications - June 2025
Department of Human Genetics faculty are involved in widely diverse areas of research, from Genome Structure and Function research to Evolutionary and Population Genetics.
Department News
Highlighted Publications - April 2025
Department of Human Genetics faculty are involved in widely diverse areas of research, from Genome Structure and Function research to Evolutionary and Population Genetics.
Department News
Highlighted Publications - January 2025
Department of Human Genetics faculty are involved in widely diverse areas of research, from Genome Structure and Function research to Evolutionary and Population Genetics.
