Associate Professor
Areas of Interest
retinal health and disease
Dr. Tylor Lewis is a distinguished researcher in cell and developmental biology, with a Ph.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He also holds a B.A. in Biology and Chemistry, summa cum laude, from Carthage College. Dr. Lewis joins the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences after being a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Ophthalmology at Duke University, where he worked under the guidance of Dr. Vadim Y. Arshavsky. His research focuses on retinal health and disease, exploring mechanisms such as the role of ADAM9 and photoreceptor disc morphogenesis.
Dr. Lewis has secured significant research funding, including the prestigious K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award and the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award. His work has led to numerous publications in high-impact journals, demonstrating his contributions to the field of vision science. Noteworthy publications include studies on the molecular building blocks of photoreceptor disc rims and the role of microvesicle release in photoreceptors.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lewis has received multiple accolades, such as the 2018 Medical College of Wisconsin Outstanding Dissertation Award and several travel and poster awards from prominent conferences like FASEB and the International Symposium on Retinal Degeneration. He is also recognized for his excellence in presentations, having won the Duke VisionFest Best Talk Award in 2020 and 2022. Dr. Lewis’s commitment to advancing our understanding of vision science is evident in his impressive academic and research achievements.
Education & Training
Bachelors in Biology and Chemistry
Carthage College – Kenosha, WI
PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology
Medical College of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, WI