Dr. Pillers' areas of research focus is in understanding the pathobiology and molecular basis of the nonmuscle manifestations of inherited muscular dystrophies.  She has defined the retinal manifestations of Duchenne muscular dystrophy as abnormal electrophysiology that is associated with defects in the expression of the retinal isoform of dystrophin.  Dr. Pillers has extended her work in neurosensory electrophysiology to include assessment of cochlear function, and has described a mouse model with both inherited muscular dystrophy and sensorineural hearing loss.  Dr. Pillers also investigates the genetic basis of disease in the newborn, and the application of molecular diagnostic methods to complications of prematurity.

T.T. Colaizy, T. Kuforiji, R.S. Sklar, D.M. Pillers.  PCR methods in clinical investigations of Ureaplasma urealyticum:  a Mini-review.  Molec Genet Metab 80:389-397 (2003).

D.G. Green, H. Guo, D.M. Pillers.  Normal photoresponses and altered b-wave response to APB in the mdxCv3 mouse isolated retina ERG supports role for dystrophin in synaptic transmission.  Visual Neuroscience 21:739-747 (2004).

L.J. Boyd, J.S. Livingston, M.G. Brown, H.J. Lawce, J.T. Gilhooly, R.S. Wildin, L.M. Linck, R.E. Magenis, D.M. Pillers. Meiotic exchange event within the stalk region of an inverted chromosome 22 results in a recombinant chromosome with duplication of the distal long arm.  Am J Med Genet 138A:355-360 (2005).

Top of Page