Neonatal shaker1 mice were chosen for evaluation of the impact of the UshStat vector on retinal phenotypes since efficient EIAV-mediated gene transfer to photoreceptors has previously been shown in post-natal day 4 mice such that it rescued the phenotype in the Abca4-/- knockout mouse model of Stargardt disease [34]. The gene discussed is ABCA4; the disease is Stargardt disease.