Helga Kolb, Ph.D.
Professor
Research Interest: Retinal cell structure and connectivity
Dr. Kolb is a retinal anatomist who studies the connection of nerve cells in the retina. She is studying the first stages of information processing in the visual system. We know that the cells of the retina are somehow wired together in a complex fashion so they can communicate effectively, but answering how information flows through the retina is a bit like trying to put together a million-piece jigsaw puzzle with the pieces upside down. Using state of the art confocal microscopy, Dr. Kolb can get an overall picture of this puzzle which consists of a mosaic of cells. Dr. Kolb uses an electron microscope to identify the connections between individual cells. She can then study these points of contact in detail.