Kiara Eldred wants to know how neuronal cell fates are specified during retinal development. Using retinal organoids – retinal tissue cultures derived from human stem cells – as a model system, Eldred seeks to understand the factors that help generate important cell types in the retina, as well as the factors that divert cells down an unplanned path toward tumorigenesis. Eldred believes that a better understanding of retinal development will allow her to regenerate retinal tissues lost in blinding diseases and understand the tipping points that drive tumorigenesis.