Valeria Canto-Soler, PhD

Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

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Graduate School
  • PhD, Universidad Austral (2002)
Fellowships
  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Program, Postdocoral Fellow, Retinal Degenerations Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology (2006)
Languages
English, Spanish
Department
Ophthalmology

Professional Titles

  • Doni Solich Family Chair in Ocular Stem Cell Research
  • Director, CellSight – Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program

Recognitions

  • 3-D Retina Organoid Challenge Award, National Eye Institute - Audacious Goals Initiative (2022)
  • The Helen Juanita Reed Award for Macular Degeneration Research, BrightFocus Foundation (2016)
  • William & Mary Greve Special Scholar Award, Research to Prevent Blindness (2013)
  • Young Investigator Award, Alcon Research Institute (2013)
  • Outstanding Personality, Council of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina (2012)

Publications

  • Flores-Bellver M, Canto-Soler MV. Generation of Induced-Primary Retinal Pigment Epithelium from Human Retinal Organoids. Methods Mol Biol. 2025;2848:197-214. PubMed PMID: 39240525
  • M. Natalia Vergara, Kendra L. Jones, Ethan James, M. Valeria Canto-Soler. Retinal Organoids: An Emerging Model to Study Human Retinal Development. Encyclopedia of the Eye, 2e. Elsevier.
  • Babapoor-Farrokhran S, Qin Y, Flores-Bellver M, Niu Y, Bhutto IA, Aparicio-Domingo S, Guo C, Rodrigues M, Domashevich T, Deshpande M, Megarity H, Chopde R, Eberhart CG, Canto-Soler V, Montaner S, Sodhi A. Pathologic vs. protective roles of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 in RPE and photoreceptors in wet vs. dry age-related macular degeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Dec 12;120(50):e2302845120. PubMed PMID: 38055741
  • Gilmore WB, Hultgren NW, Chadha A, Barocio SB, Zhang J, Kutsyr O, Flores-Bellver M, Canto-Soler MV, Williams DS. Expression of two major isoforms of MYO7A in the retina: Considerations for gene therapy of Usher syndrome type 1B. Vision Res. 2023 Nov;212:108311. PubMed PMID: 37586294
  • Zhang J, Sharma D, Dinabandhu A, Sanchez J, Applewhite B, Jee K, Deshpande M, Flores-Bellver M, Hu MW, Guo C, Salman S, Hwang Y, Anders NM, Rudek MA, Qian J, Canto-Soler MV, Semenza GL, Montaner S, Sodhi A. Targeting hypoxia-inducible factors with 32-134D safely and effectively treats diabetic eye disease in mice. J Clin Invest. 2023 Jul 3;133(13). PubMed PMID: 37227777
  • Liu YV, Santiago CP, Sogunro A, Konar GJ, Hu MW, McNally MM, Lu YC, Flores-Bellver M, Aparicio-Domingo S, Li KV, Li ZL, Agakishiev D, Hadyniak SE, Hussey KA, Creamer TJ, Orzolek LD, Teng D, Canto-Soler MV, Qian J, Jiang Z, Johnston RJ Jr, Blackshaw S, Singh MS. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of xenotransplanted human retinal organoids defines two migratory cell populations of nonretinal origin. Stem Cell Reports. 2023 May 9;18(5):1138-1154. PubMed PMID: 37163980
  • Guo C, Deshpande M, Niu Y, Kachwala I, Flores-Bellver M, Megarity H, Nuse T, Babapoor-Farrokhran S, Ramada M, Sanchez J, Inamdar N, Johnson TV, Canto-Soler MV, Montaner S, Sodhi A. HIF-1a accumulation in response to transient hypoglycemia may worsen diabetic eye disease. Cell Rep. 2023 Jan 31;42(1):111976. PubMed PMID: 36640318
  • Guo C, Deshpande M, Niu Y, Kachwala I, Flores-Bellver M, Megarity H, Nuse T, Babapoor-Farrokhran S, Ramada M, Sanchez J, Inamdar N, Johnson TV, Canto-Soler MV, Montaner S, Sodhi A. HIF-1a accumulation in response to transient hypoglycemia may worsen diabetic eye disease. Cell Rep. 2023 Jan 10;42(1):111976. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 36640318
  • Aparicio-Domingo, S. et al. (2023). Generation of Three-Dimensional Retinal Tissue with Physiologically Competent, Light-Sensitive Photoreceptors from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. In: Gopalakrishnan, J. (eds) Brain Organoid Research. Neuromethods, vol 189. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2720-4_6
  • Canto-Soler MV, Rowland TJ, Park TS, Clegg DO, and Bharti K. Stem Cells and Cellular Therapy for Retinal Degenerative Diseases. Canto-Soler MV, Rowland TJ, Park TS, Clegg DO, and Bharti K. Ryan's Retina, Chapter 37. Editors: SriniVas Sadda, Andrew Schachat, Charles Wilkinson, David Hinton, Peter Wiedemann, K. Bailey Freund, David Sarraf. 7th Edition - May 25, 2022.
  • Rubner R, Li KV, Canto-Soler MV. Progress of clinical therapies for dry age-related macular degeneration. Int J Ophthalmol. 2022;15(1):157-166. PubMed PMID: 35047371
  • Qin Y, Zhang J, Babapoor-Farrokhran S, Applewhite B, Deshpande M, Megarity H, Flores-Bellver M, Aparicio-Domingo S, Ma T, Rui Y, Tzeng SY, Green JJ, Canto-Soler MV, Montaner S, Sodhi A. PAI-1 is a vascular cell-specific HIF-2-dependent angiogenic factor that promotes retinal neovascularization in diabetic patients. Sci Adv. 2022 Mar 4;8(9):eabm1896. PubMed PMID: 35235351
  • Li KV, Flores-Bellver M, Aparicio-Domingo S, Petrash C, Cobb H, Chen C, Canto-Soler MV, Mathias MT. A Surgical Kit for Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium Transplants: Collection, Transportation, and Subretinal Delivery. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022;10:813538. PubMed PMID: 35252183
  • Carlson M, Kim S, Aparicio-Domingo S, Li KV, Puig B, Batabyal S, Canto-Soler MV, Mohanty S. OCT guided micro-focal ERG system with multiple stimulation wavelengths for characterization of ocular health. Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 7;12(1):4009. PubMed PMID: 35256656
  • Wareham LK, Liddelow SA, Temple S, Benowitz LI, Di Polo A, Wellington C, Goldberg JL, He Z, Duan X, Bu G, Davis AA, Shekhar K, Torre A, Chan DC, Canto-Soler MV, Flanagan JG, Subramanian P, Rossi S, Brunner T, Bovenkamp DE, Calkins DJ. Solving neurodegeneration: common mechanisms and strategies for new treatments. Mol Neurodegener. 2022 Mar 21;17(1):23. PubMed PMID: 35313950
  • Flores-Bellver M, Mighty J, Aparicio-Domingo S, Li KV, Shi C, Zhou J, Cobb H, McGrath P, Michelis G, Lenhart P, Bilousova G, Heissel S, Rudy MJ, Coughlan C, Goodspeed AE, Becerra SP, Redenti S, Canto-Soler MV. Extracellular vesicles released by human retinal pigment epithelium mediate increased polarised secretion of drusen proteins in response to AMD stressors. J Extracell Vesicles. 2021 Nov;10(13):e12165. PubMed PMID: 34750957
  • Zhou J, Flores-Bellver M, Pan J, Benito-Martin A, Shi C, Onwumere O, Mighty J, Qian J, Zhong X, Hogue T, Amponsah-Antwi B, Einbond L, Gharbaran R, Wu H, Chen BJ, Zheng Z, Tchaikovskaya T, Zhang X, Peinado H, Canto-Soler MV, Redenti S. Human retinal organoids release extracellular vesicles that regulate gene expression in target human retinal progenitor cells. Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 26;11(1):21128. PubMed PMID: 34702879
  • Cobb H, Aparicio-Domingo S, Canto-Soler MV. Transitioning into GMP-Compliance: Alternative Methods for Producing Retinal Organoids for Transplantation. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2021 Aug 12;10(10):9. PubMed PMID: 34383873
  • Zhang J, Qin Y, Martinez M, Flores-Bellver M, Rodrigues M, Dinabandhu A, Cao X, Deshpande M, Qin Y, Aparicio-Domingo S, Rui Y, Tzeng SY, Salman S, Yuan J, Scott AW, Green JJ, Canto-Soler MV, Semenza GL, Montaner S, Sodhi A. HIF-1a and HIF-2a redundantly promote retinal neovascularization in patients with ischemic retinal disease. J Clin Invest. 2021 Jun 15;131(12). PubMed PMID: 34128478
  • Petrash CC, Palestine AG, Canto-Soler MV. Immunologic Rejection of Transplanted Retinal Pigmented Epithelium: Mechanisms and Strategies for Prevention. Front Immunol. 2021;12:621007. PubMed PMID: 34054796
  • Singh MS, Park SS, Albini TA, Canto-Soler MV, Klassen H, MacLaren RE, Takahashi M, Nagiel A, Schwartz SD, Bharti K. Retinal stem cell transplantation: Balancing safety and potential. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2020 Mar;75:100779. PubMed PMID: 31494256
  • Singh MS, Park SS, Albini TA, Canto-Soler MV, Klassen H, MacLaren RE, Takahashi M, Nagiel A, Schwartz SD, Bharti K. Retinal stem cell transplantation: Balancing safety and potential. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2019 Sep 5;:100779. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31494256
  • Bell WR, Meeker AK, Rizzo A, Rajpara S, Rosenthal IM, Flores Bellver M, Aparicio Domingo S, Zhong X, Barber JR, Joshu CE, Canto-Soler MV, Eberhart CG, Heaphy CM. A unique telomere DNA expansion phenotype in human retinal rod photoreceptors associated with aging and disease. Brain Pathol. 2019 Jan;29(1):45-52. PubMed PMID: 29668072
  • Zhou J, Benito-Martin A, Mighty J, Chang L, Ghoroghi S, Wu H, Wong M, Guariglia S, Baranov P, Young M, Gharbaran R, Emerson M, Mark MT, Molina H, Canto-Soler MV, Selgas HP, Redenti S. Retinal progenitor cells release extracellular vesicles containing developmental transcription factors, microRNA and membrane proteins. Sci Rep. 2018 Feb 12;8(1):2823. PubMed PMID: 29434302
  • Vergara MN, Flores-Bellver M, Aparicio-Domingo S, McNally M, Wahlin KJ, Saxena MT, Mumm JS, Canto-Soler MV. Three-dimensional automated reporter quantification (3D-ARQ) technology enables quantitative screening in retinal organoids. Development. 2017 Oct 15;144(20):3698-3705. PubMed PMID: 28870990
  • Zimmerlin L, Park TS, Huo JS, Verma K, Pather SR, Talbot CC Jr, Agarwal J, Steppan D, Zhang YW, Considine M, Guo H, Zhong X, Gutierrez C, Cope L, Canto-Soler MV, Friedman AD, Baylin SB, Zambidis ET. Tankyrase inhibition promotes a stable human naïve pluripotent state with improved functionality. Development. 2016 Dec 1;143(23):4368-4380. PubMed PMID: 27660325
  • Canto-Soler V, Flores-Bellver M, Vergara MN. Stem Cell Sources and Their Potential for the Treatment of Retinal Degenerations. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016 Apr 1;57(5):ORSFd1-9. PubMed PMID: 27116661
  • Gamm DM, Wong R; and the AGI Workshop Panelists (Canto-Soler MV, et al). Report on the National Eye Institute Audacious Goals Initiative: Photoreceptor Regeneration and Integration Workshop. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2015 Nov 17;4(6):2. eCollection 2015 Nov. PubMed PMID: 26629398; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4654223.
  • Vergara MN, Gutierrez C, Canto-Soler MV. Efficient Gene Transfer in Chick Retinas for Primary Cell Culture Studies: An Ex-ovo Electroporation Approach. J Vis Exp. 2015 Nov 2;(105):e52002. PubMed PMID: 26556302
  • Zhong X, Gutierrez C, Xue T, Hampton C, Vergara MN, Cao LH, Peters A, Park TS, Zambidis ET, Meyer JS, Gamm DM, Yau KW, Canto-Soler MV. Generation of three-dimensional retinal tissue with functional photoreceptors from human iPSCs. Nat Commun. 2014 Jun 10;5:4047. PubMed PMID: 24915161
  • Moshiri A, Scholl HP, Canto-Soler MV, Goldberg MF. Morphogenetic model for radial streaking in the fundus of the carrier state of X-linked albinism. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013 May;131(5):691-3. PubMed PMID: 23519542
  • Vergara MN, Gutierrez C, O'Brien DR, Canto-Soler MV. Ex vivo electroporation of retinal cells: a novel, high efficiency method for functional studies in primary retinal cultures. Exp Eye Res. 2013 Apr;109:40-50. PubMed PMID: 23370269
  • Vergara MN, de la Rosa EJ, Canto-Soler MV. Focus on molecules: proinsulin in the eye: precursor or pioneer?. Exp Eye Res. 2012 Aug;101:109-10. PubMed PMID: 21144848
  • Vergara MN, Canto-Soler MV. Rediscovering the chick embryo as a model to study retinal development. Neural Dev. 2012 Jun 27;7:22. PubMed PMID: 22738172
  • Phillips MJ, Wallace KA, Dickerson SJ, Miller MJ, Verhoeven AD, Martin JM, Wright LS, Shen W, Capowski EE, Percin EF, Perez ET, Zhong X, Canto-Soler MV, Gamm DM. Blood-derived human iPS cells generate optic vesicle-like structures with the capacity to form retinal laminae and develop synapses. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Apr 18;53(4):2007-19. PubMed PMID: 22410558
  • Gutierrez C, McNally M, Canto-Soler MV. Cytoskeleton proteins previously considered exclusive to ganglion cells are transiently expressed by all retinal neuronal precursors. BMC Dev Biol. 2011 Jul 22;11:46. PubMed PMID: 21781303
  • McNally MM, Wahlin KJ, Canto-Soler MV. Endogenous expression of ASLV viral proteins in specific pathogen free chicken embryos: relevance for the developmental biology research field. BMC Dev Biol. 2010 Oct 18;10:106. PubMed PMID: 20955591
  • Canto-Soler MV, Huang H, Romero MS, Adler R. Transcription factors CTCF and Pax6 are segregated to different cell types during retinal cell differentiation. Dev Dyn. 2008 Mar;237(3):758-67. PubMed PMID: 18224715
  • Adler R, Canto-Soler MV. Molecular mechanisms of optic vesicle development: complexities, ambiguities and controversies. Dev Biol. 2007 May 1;305(1):1-13. PubMed PMID: 17335797
  • Iribarne M, Canto-Soler MV, Torbidoni V, Suburo AM. Controlling retinal pigment epithelium injury after experimental detachment of the retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007 Mar;48(3):1348-54. PubMed PMID: 17325183
  • Canto-Soler MV, Adler R. Optic cup and lens development requires Pax6 expression in the early optic vesicle during a narrow time window. Dev Biol. 2006 Jun 1;294(1):119-32. PubMed PMID: 16564518
  • Cantó Soler MV, Gallo JE, Dodds RA, Hökfelt T, Villar MJ, Suburo AM. Y1 receptor of neuropeptide Y as a glial marker in proliferative vitreoretinopathy and diseased human retina. Glia. 2002 Sep;39(3):320-4. PubMed PMID: 12203398
  • Cantó Soler MV, Gallo JE, Dodds RA, Suburo AM. A mouse model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy induced by dispase. Exp Eye Res. 2002 Nov;75(5):491-504. PubMed PMID: 12457862
  • Suburo AM, Chiocchio SR, Cantó Soler MV, Nieponice A, Tramezzani JH. Peptidergic innervation of blood vessels and interstitial cells in the testis of the cat. J Androl. 2002 Jan-Feb;23(1):121-34. PubMed PMID: 11783440
  • Lascano C, Cantó Soler MV, Ornstein A, Suburo AM. Structural specializations of the eye in the vizcacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus). Anat Rec. 1999 May 1;255(1):34-43. PubMed PMID: 10321991
  • Cantó Soler MV, Suburo AM. Innervation of blood vessels in the vomeronasal complex of the rat. Brain Res. 1998 Nov 16;811(1-2):47-56. PubMed PMID: 9804888
  • Publicly Available Imaging Datasets for Age-related Macular Degeneration: Evaluation according to the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reproducible (FAIR) Principles
  • Retinal Imaging in an Era of Open Science and Privacy Protection

Professional Memberships

  • American Society for Cell Biology, Member
  • Society for Neuroscience, Member
  • International Society for Eye Research, Member
  • The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Member
  • International Society for Ocular Cell Biology, Member

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