At the Wynn Institute for Vision Research at the University of Iowa, I am using my years of experience throughout the eye in cell, molecular biology, developmental and immune biology to use patient-derived iPSCs to model rare inherited eye diseases, including Batten disease, Stargardt disease, Leber congenital amaurosis, enhanced S-cone syndrome, retinitis pigmentosa, and North Carolina Macular Dystrophy. Furthermore, using my background in immune biology, we are testing how various genetic and immune backgrounds affect the transplantation of patient-derived iPSCs. We will use the knowledge gained from these studies as we proceed towards the prime directive of transplanting autologous iPSCs back into diseased patient retinas to restore functional vision. The WIVR now has a fully operational FDA-licensed cGMP facility, the Steven W. Dezii Translational Vision Research Facility. I also serve as the Director of Functional Assessment for DTVRF, assisting in the generation of clinical-grade adeno-associated viral vectors and transplantable human photoreceptor precursor cells that will be used for gene and cell replacement therapies in the very near future for patients with blinding inherited eye disease.