Photoreceptors are highly specialized sensory cells essential for vision. They convert light information into an electrical signal that is ultimately transmitted to the vision detecting centers of the brain. Although significant information is known about phototransduction and synaptic transmission within photoreceptors, surprisingly little is known about other vital aspects of cell function. Our lab is currently focusing on two fundamental questions in photoreceptor biology: 1) how is photoreceptor mitochondrial function regulated by cellular Ca2+ dynamics? and 2) how is the endocytic trafficking pathway regulated by phosphoinositides? The overall health and viability of photoreceptors depends on the regulation of these processes