Researchers

Joseph E. O'Tousa, Ph.D.

Joseph E. O'Tousa, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Associate Dean, College of Science

Contact Information

Biography

Professor O'Tousa obtained his B.S. degree in biological sciences in 1976 from the University of California, Irvine. He received his Ph.D. in genetics in 1980 from the University of Washington in Seattle. Subsequently, he conducted postdoctoral research at Purdue University as a U.S. Public Health Service postdoctoral fellow. He joined the faculty at the University of Notre Dame in 1985, becoming professor in 1998. Professor O'Tousa was appointed associate dean in the College of Science in 2002.

Research Interests

Professor O'Tousa's research program examines the biochemical mechanisms and genetic causes underlying degeneration of photoreceptors-the sensory cells responsible for light reception?to help understand inherited retinal diseases afflicting human populations. His research group is also interested in the genetic control of retinal cell death as therapeutic strategies to ameliorate the effect of inherited eye disorders.

Publications

Hsu CD, Adams SM, O’Tousa JE. Rpr- and hid-driven cell death in Drosophila photoreceptors. Vision Res 2002; 42: 507-516. link

O'Tousa JE. Ca2+ regulation of Drosophila phototransduction. Adv Exp Med Biol 2002; 514: 493-505.

Hsu CD, Whaley MA, Frazer K, Miller DA, Mitchell KA, Adams SM, O'Tousa JE. Limited role of developmental programmed cell death pathways in Drosophila norpA retinal degeneration. J Neurosci 2004; 24: 500-507. link

Gu G, Yang J, Mitchell KA, O’Tousa JE. Drosophila ninaB and ninaD act outside of retina to produce rhodopsin chromophore. J Biol Chem 2004; 279: 18608-18613. link

Sarfare S, Ahmad ST, Joyce MV, Boggess B, O'Tousa JE. The Drosophila ninaG oxidoreductase acts in visual pigment chromophore production. J Biol Chem 2005; 280: 11895-11901. link

Satoh A, O’Tousa JE, Ozaki K, Ready DF. Rab11 mediates post-Golgi trafficking of rhodopsin to the photosensitive apical membrane of Drosophila photoreceptors. Development 2005; 132: 1487-1497. link

Cells