Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski is a distinguished biochemical pharmacologist and molecular biologist renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to vision science. He currently serves as the Donald Bren Professor and Irving H. Leopold Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine, where he also directs the Center for Translational Vision Research at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute. Born in Poland, he earned his MS in Chemistry from the University of Wroclaw and his PhD in Biochemistry from the Technical University of Wroclaw before establishing his academic career in the United States. Dr. Palczewski previously held faculty positions at the University of Washington from 1992 to 2005, where he rose to Professor in Ophthalmology, Pharmacology and Chemistry, and later served as Chair of Pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University from 2005 to 2018 before joining UC Irvine.
Dr. Palczewski's laboratory is best known for solving the structures of different forms of rhodopsin, a prototype for G protein-coupled receptors that comprise the largest and most diverse family of human drug targets. His seminal work on the crystal structure of rhodopsin has transformed the understanding of visual phototransduction and GPCR signaling mechanisms across biological systems. His team developed high-resolution imaging with two-photon excitation that revolutionized non-invasive in vivo monitoring of real-time visual function, enabling unprecedented insights into retinal physiology. The laboratory's essential discoveries about the chemistry and biology of visual phototransduction and chromophore recycling have established fundamental principles that guide therapeutic development for vision disorders.
As a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Palczewski has received numerous prestigious international awards including the Paul Kayser International Award for Retina Research and the Goodman and Gilman Award in Receptor Pharmacology. His laboratory studies inherited retinal diseases in mouse models that recapitulate human blinding disorders, promoting the innovation of potential treatments for conditions that affect millions worldwide. Currently, Dr. Palczewski is developing new classical and genome editing therapies against inherited retinal degenerations, with his work on gene transfer to the retina showing promising long-term restoration of vision. His continued leadership in translational vision research positions him at the forefront of developing novel therapeutic approaches that bridge basic science discoveries with clinical applications for retinal diseases.
