Helga Kolb
Helga Kolb is one of the most important retinal scientists of our time. Her work on the circuitry of the retina spans four decades and it forms an unrivaled blueprint for the flow of visual signals through the retina. One of the most highly cited vision scientists in the world, virtually all circuitry research derives from her discoveries.
In 1993 she was honored with the Proctor Medal, awarded by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO); this is the most prestigious award in all of vision research and ophthalmology. In 2000, she received the Von Sallmann award from the International Society for Eye Research, in recognition of her many contributions to vision research over the course of her career. She is also an active member of the committee for the Helen Keller Prize in Ophthalmology.
Many of Dr. Kolb’s important contributions to retinal research have been with her long-time collaborators, Dr. Ralph Nelson and Dr. Nicolas Cuenca. Dr. Kolb has authored circa 120 papers since 1962 on the neurocircuitry of the vertebrate retina. Her present emphasis is on writing papers, editing books, and creating an electronic book on the organization of the vertebrate retina and visual system. The electronic book can be found on the Internet at http://www.web-vision.med.utah.edu. This free electronic resource, hosted by the Moran Eye Center, is one of the crown jewels of electronic publishing and education at the University of Utah, with over 30,000 hits a day, and is widely cited by researchers world-wide. A “living” document, it is continually updated and revised to reflect new discoveries.
Education: Ph.D., Bristol University, UK
Academic Appointments: Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences—University of Utah School of Medicine
The Webvison site receives thousands of hits per day.
A sample of major publications from Dr. Kolb
Kolb H. (2003) How the retina works. Am. Scientist, 91, 28-35.
Famiglietti E.V. and Kolb H. (1976) Structural basis for ON- and OFF center responses in retinal ganglion cells. Science, 194:193-195.
Kolb H. and Famiglietti E.V. (1974) Rod and cone pathways in the inner plexiform layer of the cat retina. Science, 186:47-49.