Kristina Narfström
Ruth M. Kraeuchi Endowed Professor of Veterinary Ophthalmology

· BS, Royal Veterinary College, Stockholm, Sweden
· DVM, Royal Veterinary College, Stockholm, Sweden,
· Ph.D., Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine,University of Linkoping, Sweden

· Diplomate, European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ECVO)
· Honorary Diplomate Status of the Japanese College of Veterinary and Comparative Ophthalmologists

NarfströmK@missouri.edu

Research emphasis:

Current research projects:

- Molecular genetic studies in the Abyssinian cat hereditary rod-cone degeneration, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen O´Brien´s group, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- Transplantation of neuroretina into cats affected by hereditary retinal degeneration, in Dr. Berndt Ehinger´s group, University of Lund, Sweden.
- Immunocytochemical studies of various proteins in relation to hereditary retinal degenerative disease, in collaboration with Dr. Berndt Ehingers group; Dr. Maithe Perez and Dr. Anitha Bruun, University of Lund, Sweden.
- Electrophysiological studies using electroretinography of outer and inner retinal function in dogs, cats, mice, rats and rabbits.
- Electrophysiological studies using visual evoked potentials in normal cats and dogs during development and maturation of higher cortical centers, in collaboration with Dr. Anders Sjöström, Sahlgrenska sjukhuset, Göteborg, Sweden.
- Clinical, morphological and electrophysiological studies of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in the PON dog: general morphology in collaboration with Dr. Anna-Lena Lundgren, Astra-Zeneca, Sweden.
- Multifocal electroretinography in normal animals and in animals with hereditary retinal disease, In collaboration with Dr. Mathias Seeliger, University of Tubingen, Germany.
- Function and metabolism of the retina in dystrophic Abyssinian cats, in collaboration with Dr. Robert Linsenmeier, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
- Gene transfer in the Briard dog model for retinal dystrophy (RPE65 gene defect), in collaboration with Dr. Elisabeth Rakoczy, Lions Eye Institute, Perth, Australia and Dr. Michael Redmond, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- Studies of RPE function in normal and rod-cone dystrophic cats using light and ethanol as stimuli, in collaboration with Dr. Geoffrey Arden, London.

Teaching:  Veterinary Ophthalmology, Comparative Ophthalmology


Selected publications:

Katz ML, Coates JR, Cooper JJ, O’Brien DP, Jeong M, Narfström K.  Retinal pathology in a canine model of late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, Mar, 2008 (in press).

Vaegan, Narfström K.  A(max) to scotopic I(max) diagnoses feline hereditary rod cone degeneration more efficiently than any other combination of long protocol electroretinogram parameters. Doc Ophthalmol Jan, 2008 (in press).

Ropstad E-O, Narfström K.  The obvious and the more hidden components of the electroretinogram.  European J Companion Anim Pract 2007 (In press)

Narfström K, Seeliger M, Lai CM, Vaegan, Katz M, Rakoczy EP, Remé C.  Morphological aspects related to long-term functional improvement of the retina in the 4 years following rAAV-mediated gene transfer in the RPE65 null mutation dog. Adv Exp Med Biol 2008; 613:139-46.  [Abstract]

Ropstad E-O, Narfström K, Lingaas F, Wiik C, Bruun A, Bjerkas E.  Functional and structural changes in the retina of WireHaired Dachshunds with early onset cone-rod dystrophy.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2008; 49(3):1106-15.   [Abstract]

May CA, Narfström K.  Choroidal microcirculation in Abyssinia cats with hereditary rod cone degeneration. Exp Eye Res 2008; 86(3):537-40.   [Abstract].

Ropstad EO, Bjerkås E, Narfström K.  Clinical findings in early onset dystrophy in the standard wire haired dachshund. Vet Ophthalmol 2007;10(2):69-75.   [Abstract]

Klassen H, Schwartz PH, Ziaeian B, Nethercott H, Young MJ, Bragadottir R, Tullis GE, Warfvinge K, Narfström K.  Neural precursors isolated from the developing cat brain show retinal integration following transplantation to the retina of the dystrophic cat.  Vet Ophthalmol  2007;10(4):245-53. [Abstract].

Ford MM, Dubielzig RR, Giuliano EA, Moore CP, Narfström K.  Ocular and systemic manifestations of high-dose oral enrofloxacin in cats.  Am J Vet Res 2007; 68(2):190-202.  [Abstract]

Narfström K, Wrigstad A, Ekesten B, Berg AL.  Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis:  clinical and morphological findings in nine affected Polish Owczarek Nizinny (PON) dogs. Vet Ophthalmol 2007; 10(2):111-20.  [Abstract]

Ropstad EO, Bjerkås E, Narfström K.  Electroretinographic findings in the Standard Wire Haired Dachshund with inherited early onset cone-rod dystrophy.  Doc Ophthalmol 2007; 114(1):27-36.  [Abstract]

Menotti-Raymond M, David VA, Schäffer AA, Stephens R, Wells D, Kumar-Singh R, O'Brien SJ, Narfström K.  Mutation in CEP290 discovered for cat model of human retinal degeneration.  J Hered 2007; 98(3):211-20.   [Abstract]

Pontius JU, Mullikin JC, Smith D, Lindblad-Toh K, Gnerre S, Clamp M, Chang J, Stephens R, Neelam B, Volfovsky N, Schaffer AA, Agarwala R, Narfström, K, Murphy WJ, Giger U, Roca AL, Antunes A, Menotti-Raymond M, Yuhki N, Pecon-Slattery J, Johnson WE, Bourque G, Tesler G, O’Brien J. Initial sequence and comparative analysis of the cat genome.  Genome Res 2007; 17(11):1547-49.   [Abstract]

Ofri R, Narfström K.  Light at the end of the tunnel?  Advances in the understanding and treatment of glaucoma and inherited retinal degeneration.  Vet J 2007; 174(1):10-22.  [Abstract]

Narfström K.  Subretinal implantation: a step forward to restoring dying photoreceptors.  (Editorial)  Expert Rev Ophthalmol 2007; 2(4):521-24.   [No abstract available]

Jeong M-B, Narfström K, Son W, Park Y, Park S, Seo K.  Comparison of two electroretinographic systems used in dogs: the HMsERG and the RETIcom. The Vet J, 2007 (Submitted)

Kang Derwent JJ, Padnick-Silver L, McRipley M, Giuliano E, Linsenmeier RA, Narfström K.  The electroretinogram (ERG) components in Abyssinian cats with hereditary retinal degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2006; 47:3673-3682.  [Abstract]

Padnick-Silver L, Kang Derwent JJ, Giuliano E, Narfström K, Linsenmeier RA.  Retinal oxygenation and oxygen metabolism in Abyssinian cats with a hereditary retinal degeneration.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2006; 47:3683-89.  [Abstract]

Hyman J, Vaegan, Lei B, Narfström K.  Electrophysiologic differentiation of homozygous and heterozygous Abyssinian-crossbred cats with late-onset hereditary retinal degeneration. Am J Vet Res 2005; 66(11):1914-21.  [Abstract]

Katz ML, Narfström K, Johnson GS, O'Brien DP.  Assessment of retinal function and characterization of lysosomal storage body accumulation in the retinas and brains of Tibetan Terriers with ceroid-lipofuscinosis.  Am J Vet Res 2005; 66(1):67-76.  [Abstract]

May CA, Lütjen-Drecoll E, Narfström K.  Morphological changes in the anterior segment of the Abyssinian cat eye with hereditary rod cone degeneration. Curr Eye Res 2005; 30(10):855-62.  [Abstract]

Narfström K, Vaegan, Katz M, Bragadottir R, Rakoczy EP, Seeliger M.  Assessment of structure and function over a 3-year period after gene transfer in RPE65-/- dogs.  Doc Ophthalmol 2005; 111(1):39-48.  [Abstract]

Rah H, Maggs DJ, Blankenship TN, Narfström K, Lyons A.  Early-onset autosomal recessive progressive retinal atrophy in Persian cats. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2005; 46(5):1742-47.  [Abstract]

Said K, Esdaille TM, Pluk H, Narfström K, Gorgels TG, von Schantz M, Oerlemans F, Hirano AA, van Veen T, Naarendorp F, Caffe AR.  Comparison of 24 neurochemical markers in sugar glider, cat and mouse retinas:  block alterations in components of the sugar glider cone pathway.  Molecular Vis   (In revision), 2005.

Seeliger MW, Beck SC, Pereyra-Muñoz N, Dangel S, Tsai JY, Luhmann UF, van de Pavert SA, Wijnholds J, Samardzija M, Wenzel A, Zrenner E, Narfström K, Fahl E, Tanimoto N, Acar N, Tonagel F.  In vivo confocal imaging of the retina in animal models using scanning laser ophthalmoscopy.  Vision Res 2005; 45(28):3512-19.  [Abstract]

Vaegan, Narfström K.  A(max) is the best a-wave measure for classifying Abyssinian cat rod/cone dystrophy. Doc Ophthalmol 2005; 111(1):33-38.  [Abstract]

Vaegan, Narfström K. Optimal discrimination of an Abyssinian cat recessive retinal degeneration:  A short electroretinogram (ERG) protocol is more efficient than a long one.  Clin Experiment Ophthalmol 2004; 32 (6):619-625.  [Abstract]

Ekesten B, Narfström K. Abnormal dark-adapted ERG in cats heterozygous for a recessively inherited rod-cone degeneration. Vet Ophthalmol 2004; 7(1):63-67.  [Abstract]

Narfström K, Bragadottir R, Redmond TM, Rakoczy PE, van Veen T, Bruun A.  Functional and structural evaluation after AAV.RPE65 gene transfer in the canine model of Leber's congenital amaurosis.  Adv Exp Med Biol 2004; 533:423-30.  Abstract]

Narfström K, Katz M, Bragadottir R, Seeliger M, Boulanger A, Redmond M, Lai CM, Rakoczy E. Functional and structural recovery of the retina after gene therapy in the RPE65 null mutation dog.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2003; 44(4):1663-72.  [Abstract]

Bragadottir R, Narfström K   Lens sparing pars plana vitrectomy and retinal transplantation in cats. Vet Ophthalmol 2003; 6(2):135-39. [Abstract]

Narfström K, Katz M, Ford M, Redmond M, Rakoczy E, Bragadottir R.  In vivo gene therapy in young and adult RPE65-/- dogs produces long-term visual improvement. J Hered 2003; 94(1):31-37.  [Abstract]

Ford M, Bragadottir R, Rakoczy PE, Narfström K.  Gene transfer in the RPE65 null mutation dog: Relationship between construct volume, visual behavior and electroretinographic results. Doc Ophthalmol 2003; 107(1):79-86. [Abstract]

Rakoczy PE, Lai CM, Yu MJ, Daniels DM, Brankov M, Rae BC, Stoddart CW, Barnett NL, Martin-Iverson MT, Redmond TM, Narfstrom K, Zhou X, Constable IJ.  Assessment of rAAV-mediated gene therapy in the Rpe65-/- mouse. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2003; 533:431-38. [Abstract]

Narfström K, Ekesten B, Rosolen S, Spiess B, Percicot C, Ofri R. Guidelines for clinical electrophysiology in the dog. Doc Opthalmol 2002;105(2):83-92.  [Abstract]

Bragadottir R, Lei B, Narfström K.  Electroretinographic monitoring of gene therapy treated RPE65 null mutation dog, a model for human Leber’s congenital amaurosis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2002;43: E-Abstract 4596.  [Abstract]

Nilsson SFE, Mäepea O, Alm A, Narfström K.  Ocular blood flow and retinal metabolism in Abyssinian cats with hereditary retinal degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2001; 42:1038-44.  [Abstract]

Seeliger M, Narfström K.   Functional assessment of the regional distribution of disease in a cat model of hereditary retinal degeneration.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2000; 41(7):1998-2005.  [Abstract]

Veske A, Nilsson SEG, Narfström K, Gal A.  Retinal dystrophy of Swedish Briard/Briard-Beagle dogs is due to a 4-base pair deletion in RPE65. Genomics 1999; 57:57-61.  [Abstract]

Narfström K, Wrigstad A.  Clinical, electrophysiological and morphological changes in a case of hereditary retinal degeneration in the Papillon dog. Veterinary Ophthalmology 1999; 2:67-74.  [Abstract]

Narfström K, Ekesten B.  Electroretinographic evaluation of Papillon dogs with and without hereditary retinal degeneration. Am J of Vet Res 59(2):221-26, 1998.  [Abstract]

Ivert L, Gouras P, Naeser P, Narfström K.  Photoreceptor allografts in a feline model of retinal degeneration. Graefe´s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 1998; 236:844-52.  [Abstract]

Narfström K, Andersson BE, Andreasson S, Gouras P.  Clinical electroretinography in the dog using Ganzfeld stimulation: A practical method of examining rod and cone function. Doc Ophthalmol 1995; 90:279-90.  [Abstract]

Narfström K, Ivert L, Yamamoto S, Gouras P.  Adaptation of rod and cone electroretinograms in the Abyssinian cat hereditary rod-cone degeneration. Clin Vision Sci 1993: 8:177-85.  

Wrigstad A, Nilsson SEG, Narfström K.  Ultrastructural changes of the retina in Briard dogs with hereditary congenital night blindness and partial day blindness.  Exp Eye Res 1992; 55:805-18.  [Abstract]