Retina

Microglia protect sensory cells needed for vision after retinal detachment

June 19, 2018

photo of microglia in the retina

Pictured above: Retinal microglia (green) and the retinal vasculature (magenta). Photo credit: Dong-Ho Park, M.D., Connor Lab.

A research team at Massachusetts Eye and Ear has shown that microglia, the primary immune cells of the brain and retina, play a protective role in response to retinal detachment.... Read more about Microglia protect sensory cells needed for vision after retinal detachment

Mass. Eye and Ear performs first FDA-approved gene therapy procedure for inherited disease

March 20, 2018

Boston, Mass. — Massachusetts Eye and Ear made medical history on Tuesday by performing the first post-FDA approval gene therapy for patients with a form of inherited blindness. The occasion marks the beginning of a new era in medicine, as it is the first time any FDA-approved gene therapy has been given to a patient for any inherited disease.

The treatment, commercially identified as Luxturna, was developed by Spark Therapeutics and ...

Trainees receive research awards and fellowship from VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation

December 29, 2017

The VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation recognized four trainees with research awards and fellowships, enabling them to pursue research investigations at Mass. Eye and Ear and Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass. Eye and Ear. The VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation (VRSF) strives to promote education and research related to retinal and macular diseases. They support research by funding awards for young investigators with a potential for a career devoted to retinal disease and research. The VRSF has established a competitive Research Award/Fellowship to encourage young physicians to...

Ocugen Expands Focus on Inherited Retinal Disorders by Licensing Novel Modifier Gene Therapy Platform

December 20, 2017

Ocugen, Inc. has obtained an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize future ophthalmology products based on groundbreaking technology developed by Neena Haider, PhD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology....

Santiago Delgado-Tirado receives Alfonso Martin Escudero Foundation Fellowship

October 31, 2017

Santiago Delgado-Tirado, MD, MSc, a research fellow under the mentorship ofJoseph Arboleda-Velasquez, MD, PhD, and Leo Kim, MD, PhD, received the Alfonso Martin Escudero Foundation Fellowship. This fellowship, which is in the amount of $88,500 over two years beginning in January 2018, was given for his project, "Runx1...

Dr. Stefater receives vitreoretinal scholarship

October 2, 2017

James “Tony” Stefater, MD, PhD, a vitreoretinal fellow at Mass. Eye and Ear, received the 2017 Vitreoretinal Research Scholarship from the Robert Machemer Foundation in the amount of $20,000 over one year. His winning project, “Development of a novel post-operative intraocular retinal tamponade agent,” focuses on developing a better post-operative retinal tamponade agent that will improve clinical outcomes and eliminate the post-operative...

Genome editing with CRISPR-Cas9 prevents angiogenesis of the retina

July 27, 2017

Powerful new technology may lead to novel therapies to prevent vision loss, blindness in those with diseases of the retina

Boston, Mass. — A research team from the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear has successfully prevented mice from developing angiogenesis of the retina—the sensory tissue at the back of the eye—using gene-editing techniques with CRISPR-Cas9. Angiogenesis causes vision loss and blindness and is a feature of several degenerative eye conditions, including proliferative diabetic...

Patrick Oellers awarded Thomas J. Madden Fellowship in Retina

May 24, 2017

Patrick Oellers, MD, is the inaugural recipient of the Thomas J. Madden Fellowship in Retina at Mass. Eye and Ear. Patrick is completing his first year as a Retina Surgery Fellow. The fellowship was created to support a clinical or research fellow while honoring the legacy of Thomas J. Madden who passed away in 2015. Tom played an instrumental role in securing the successful outcome of patent-related litigation resulting in the landmark $126M judgment for Mass. Eye and Ear against QLT, Inc. and Novartis in 2009. The award has enabled major...

Massachusetts Eye and Ear first in New England to offer advanced, 3D surgical visualization technology to retina patients

May 5, 2017

State-of-the-art high-definition, platform aims to bring care of adult and pediatric patients to an unprecedented level

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Boston, Mass. — Massachusetts Eye and Ear is enhancing the care it brings to adult and pediatric retina patients with a new and innovative...

Researchers identify mechanism of retina damage following chemical eye burns

April 13, 2017

Findings may lead to the development of therapies to prevent damage to the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.

Boston, Mass. — Chemical eye burns caused by alkali agents not only injure the front of the eye — the cornea, where the contact takes place — but also cause widespread damage to the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (the retina) as well, often leading to optic nerve damage and glaucoma. In a report...