For Patients
Make an appointment or contact a provider:
734-763-8122
Administrative Contact
Administrative Assistant: 734-232-8404
Areas of Interest
Research Areas
Research Summary
Molecular mechanisms of photoreceptor cell death and survival during periods of retinal stress
Dr. Besirli's research focuses on the characterization of pathways critical for cell death during retinal stress, including retinal detachment and macular degeneration. Primary focus is given to the identification of individual proteins that regulate intracellular checkpoints important for retinal cell death or survival, with the ultimate goal of developing new therapeutic agents for clinical use.
Clinical Interests
- Gene therapy for inherited retinal diseases
- Disease and surgery of the retina and vitreous, including retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vascular disease, ocular trauma, ocular inflammation, macular and submacular surgery, and surgical management of complex retinal detachment
- Medical and surgical management of acquired and inherited pediatric retinal disorders, including retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), Coats’ disease, retinal detachment, and ocular trauma
Sub-specialty: Retina
Make an Appointment
- Patients
- Make an appointment with Dr. Besirli
- Information for Patients - locations, maps and directions, patient resources
- Clinical Service: Retina and Uveitis Service
- Referring Physicians
- M-LINE, 800-962-3555
- Information for Health Providers
Honors & Awards
2018
- Clinical Trial, An Open Label, Multi-Centre, Phase I/II Dose Escalation Trial of an Adeno-Associated Virus Vector (AAV2/8-hCARp.hCNGB3) for Gene Therapy of Adults and Children with Achromatopsia Associated with Defects in CNGB3, MeiraGT Limited
- Clinical Trial, An Open-label, Multi-Centre, Phase I/II Dose Escalation Trial of an Adeno-Associated Virus Vector (AAV2/5-OPTIRPE65) for Gene Therapy of Adults and Children with Retinal Dystrophy associated with Defects in RPE65 (LCA2), MeiraGTx
- Clinical Trial, Long-term follow-up study of participants following an open label, multi-centre, Phase I/II dose escalation trial of an adeno-associated virus vector (AAV2/5-OPTIRPE65 for gene therapy of adults and children with retinal dystrophy due to RPE65 deficiency (LCA2), MeiraGTx Limited
- Grant, Metabolic Activation to Prevent Photoreceptor Death in a Preclinical Model of Macular Degeneration, International Retinal Research Foundation
- Grant, The Role of HK2 in Photoreceptor Metabolism and Survival, The Macula Society
Credentials
- Medical and Graduate School - Washington University in St. Louis, 2006
- Residency - Ophthalmology, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 2010
- Fellowships
- Retina and Uveitis, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 2012
- Pediatric Vitreoretinal Diseases, Associated Retinal Consultants, Royal Oak, Michigan
- Board Certification - American Board of Ophthalmology