Brian P. Brooks, M.D., Ph.D.

National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD.

Chief, Unit on Pediatric, Developmental, and Genetic Ophthalmology
Senior Ophthalmic Consultant, NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program

Specialties

Pediatric ophthalmology
Genetics

Current Projects

Dr. Brooks researches the genetics of coloboma, a potentially blinding congenital eye condition. His current goals include integrating information from laboratory research and clinical studies to provide improved genetic counseling for coloboma. In addition, Dr. Brooks is involved in collaborative research projects on a number of inherited eye diseases, including Bardet-Biedl syndrome, mitochondrial disorders, albinism, microphthalmia, and congenital optic nerve abnormalities. Dr. Brooks also directs the Ophthalmic Genetics Clinic at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Publications

Dr. Brooks is the author of numerous scientific manuscripts, including publications in the New England Journal of Medicine, Science, and major ophthalmology journals.

Research Highlights

Principal Investigator for the National Ophthalmic Disease Genotyping and Phenotyping Network (eyeGENE®), through which universities and private research laboratories around the country pool their genetic resources to give patients and clinicians greater access to a variety of molecular genetic tests. NEI has facilitated genetic testing for eye diseases through eyeGENE®, and future vision research may draw on genetic and clinical information in the Network's open-access, national database with information from thousands of patients.

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, leads the federal government's research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs that result in the development of sight-saving treatments.

Contact:
National Eye Institute
(301) 496-5248
neinews@nei.nih.gov