Name Sangita Patel
Credentials MD, PhD
Title and Department Clinical Instructor, Ophthalmology
Phone (716) 881-7900
Office Address 1176 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Email sppatel@buffalo.edu

Education and Training MD, PhD (Physiology)
University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY
Internship (Internal Medicine)
Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY
Residency (Ophthalmology)
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Fellowship (Cornea, External Diseases and Refractive Surgery)
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA

Research Interest  Edema of the cornea develops from loss of corneal endothelial cells and causes irreversible vision loss in thousands of people yearly. Beyond surgical transplantation of the endothelial cell layer with human donor corneal tissue, no vision-restoring treatments are available. My research investigates the physiology regulating corneal hydration to advance future treatments for these patients. There are two main projects in my lab. The first looks at characterizing changes occurring in endothelial cell monolayer intercellular junctions and passive paracellular transport properties at low and high cell densities. Clinically, patients do not experience deterioration in vision or corneal edema until very low densities. The molecular basis for this observation is unknown. This project investigates changes in the apical junctional complex and monolayer permeability of the endothelium. The second project examines the mechanisms and regulation of active water transport out of the cornea. Using Ussing chamber physiology techniques, my lab is isolating the contributions and regulation of various ionic currents across the corneal endothelium with a focus on the contributions of potassium, sodium and chloride channels. Changes occurring in the short circuit current and in channel gene expression are also being investigated under conditions of anisotonic stress as may be seen in edematous corneas.

Selected Publications

1. Patel SP, Sajnani M, Pineda R (2010). Posterior polymorphous dystrophy and keratoglobus in a child. Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (Epub ahead of print).
2. Patel SP and Bourne WM (2009). Corneal endothelial cell proliferation: a function of cell density. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 50(6), 2742-6.
3. Patel SP and Dana R (2009). Corneal lymphangiogenesis: Implications in immunity. Seminars in Ophthalmology 24(3), 135-8.
4. Patel SP and Sit AJ (2009). A practice model for trabecular meshwork surgery. Archives of Ophthalmology 127(3), 311-3.
5. Bakri SJ and Patel SP (2006). Retinal pigment epithelial tear following intravitreal bevacizumab. Eye 21(3), 424-5.
6. Patel SP and Campbell DL (2005). Transient outward potassium current, “Ito”, phenotypes in the mammalian left ventricle: Underlying molecular, cellular and biophysical mechanisms. Journal of Physiology 569(Pt 1), 7-39.
7. Patel SP, Parai R, Parai R, Campbell DL (2004). Regulation of Kv4.3 voltage-dependent gating kinetics by KChIP2 isoforms. Journal of Physiology 557, 19-41.
8. Patel SP, Campbell DL, Strauss HC (2002). Elucidating KChIP effects on Kv4.3 inactivation and recovery kinetics with a minimal KChIP2 isoform. Journal of Physiology 545, 5-11.
9. Wang S, Patel SP, Qu Y, Hua P, Strauss HC, Morales MJ (2002). Kinetic properties of Kv4.3 and their modulation by KChIP2b. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 295, 223-229.
10. Patel SP, Campbell DL, Morales MJ, Strauss HC (2002). Heterogeneous expression of KChIP2 isoforms in the ferret heart. Journal of Physiology 539, 649-656.

Teaching
Professional Associations American Academy of Ophthalmology
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology