William A Beltran

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology Service Chief

Contact Information
Section of Ophthalmology
Department of Clinical Studies
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
3900 Delancey Street, VHUP #2050
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010

Email:
wbeltran@vet.upenn.edu

Education

DVM (Veterinary Medicine) National Veterinary College of Alfort, FRANCE, 1994

Master (Biological and Medical Sciences) University of Paris, School of Medicine, Kremlin-Bicetre, FRANCE, 1997

PhD (Comparative Biomedical Sciences) Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 2006

Description of Research Expertise






Description of Research Expertise



Research interests:
Photoreceptor cell death, light-induced retinal damage, retinal remodeling, neuroprotection, gene therapy.
Keywords:

Retinal degeneration, X-linked, RPGR, rhodopsin, light damage, CNTF.

Description of Research:
Inherited retinal degenerations constitute a major cause of blindness in dogs and humans worldwide, and share a common feature: the degeneration and death of the photoreceptor cells. Although a significant number of genes associated with RP have been identified over the past decade, there is currently no treatment available.

Dr. Beltran’s research is focused at examining the cellular and molecular mechanisms of photoreceptor death in canine models of retinal degeneration, and developing novel therapeutic approaches aimed at curing or slowing the progression of this group of diseases in dogs and human patients.

Studies currently conducted in Dr. Beltran’s laboratory include: 1) investigating the signaling pathways of cell death in X-linked progressive retinal atrophy (RPGR mutant dog), as well as elucidating the pathogenesis of light-induced retinal degeneration in the T4R rhodopsin mutant dog; 2) evaluating neuroprotective agents such as ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) for their potential photoreceptor rescue properties; and 3) testing corrective gene therapy for RPGR mutations in collaboration with the Aguirre (Univ. Penn), Hauswirth (Univ. Florida), Jacobson (Univ. Penn), and Lewin (Univ. Florida) laboratories.

Lab personnel:
Rupa Ghosh (Research Specialist)
Svetlana Savina (Research Specialist)

Description of Clinical Expertise

Clinical and Teaching activities:
Dr. Beltran is a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. He consults at the Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and teaches clinical ophthalmology to veterinary students.

Selected Publications

Beltran WA, Acland GM, Aguirre GD: Age-dependent disease expression determines remodeling of the retinal mosaic in carriers of RPGR exon ORF15 mutations. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences 2009 - in press.

Beltran WA: The use of canine models of retinal degeneration to test novel therapeutic approaches. Veterinary Ophthalmology 12(3): 192-204, 2009.

Gu D, Beltran WA, Pearce-Kelling S, Li Z, Acland GM, Aguirre GD,: Steroids do not prevent photoreceptor degeneration in the light exposed T4R Rhodopsin dog retina irrespective of AP-1 inhibition. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences 50(7): 3482-3494, 2009.

Beltran W.A.: On the role of CNTF as a potential therapy for retinal degeneration: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 613: 45-51, 2008.

Gu D., Beltran W. A., Li Z., Acland G.M., Aguirre G.D.: Clinical light exposure, photoreceptor degeneration and AP-1 activation: a cell death or cell survival signal in the rhodopsin mutant retina? Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences 48(11): 4907-4918, November 2007.

S.G. Jacobson, T.S. Aleman, A.V. Cideciyan, E. Heon, M. Golczak, W.A. Beltran, A. Sumaroka, S.B. Schwartz, A.J. Roman, E.A.M. Windsor, J.M. Wilson, G.D. Aguirre, E.M. Stone, K. Palczewski: Human cone photoreceptor dependence on RPE65 isomerase The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 104(38): 15123-15128, September 2007.

Beltran, W. A., Wen, R., Acland, G. M., Aguirre, G. D.: Intravitreal injection of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) causes peripheral remodeling and does not prevent photoreceptor loss in canine RPGR mutant retina. Experimental Eye Research 84(4): 753-71, Apr 2007.

Beltran, W. A. Vanore, M. Ollivet, F. Nemoz-Bertholet, F. Aujard, F. Clerc, B. Chahory, S.: Ocular findings in two colonies of gray mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus). Veterinary Ophthalmology 10(1): 43-9, Jan-Feb 2007.

Beltran, W.A. : Cellular and Molecular studies of Ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor alpha expression and ciliary neurotrophic factor-mediated neuroprotection in the canine retina. PhD Thesis, Cornell University April 2006.

Beltran, W. A. Hammond, P. Acland, G. M. Aguirre, G. D.: A frameshift mutation in RPGR exon ORF15 causes photoreceptor degeneration and inner retina remodeling in a model of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 47(4): 1669-81, Apr 2006.
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