Stem Cells for Sight: Building the pathway from the lab to the clinic

This project aims to develop a treatment for people that are blind due to damage to their cornea. Vision impairment burdens society more than heart disease and poor mental health. In Australia, there is an urgent unmet need for stem cell treatments for the cornea that are able to restore vision. This project will develop the best techniques for treating corneal blindness in Australia, manufacturing the cells needed to do this and training clinicians in the technique. This project provides the possibility of restoring vision in patients with corneal blindness in Australia. This Disease Team has support from the National Stem Cells Foundation for Australia and brings together ophthalmic clinicians, stem cell researchers and bioethicists to address the burden of vision impairment.

For more information on this project contact Linda Cox on linda.cox@mcri.edu.au or +61 418 583 986.

Investigators from the University of Melbourne

• Professor Megan Munsie (University of Melbourne)

Investigators from other institutes

• LEAD: Professor Stephanie Watson (University of Sydney)
• Professor Nick Di Girolamo (University of New South Wales)
• Professor Robyn Jamieson (Children's Medical Research Institute)
• A/Professor Michael O’Connor (Western Sydney University)
• Dr Nick Toalster (University of Queensland)
• Dr John Hogden (University of Queensland)