RP59, a genetic cause of blindness, interrupts nerve signal transmissions from photoreceptor cells to the retinal bipolar cells.

A modifier gene is one that changes the observable characteristics, called the phenotype, or molecular expression of other genes.

The model may provide novel insights into RP59 disease mechanism that will guide future testing of therapeutic interventions.

Combining two high-powered imaging techniques into a single scanner allows UAB to acquire and study PET and MRI data simultaneously, enabling new opportunities for diagnostic imaging of cancer, the brain and heart.