iscuss the state-of-play in ocular research, dissect approaches to modelling and therapeutic delivery, and perhaps an often missed opportunity at larger conferences – constructively network and engage with each other.
So as the sun was blinding outside, so began our assembly on all things to do with blindness. After a warm welcoming address from workshop coordinators and principal investigators within the OPGG of UCD; Prof. Brendan O’ Kennedy and Dr. Alison Reynolds, Dr. Sarah McLoughlin; Science Communications Officer of Retina International, gave an insightful overview of how patient advocacy has been a driving force for ocular research the world over. Incepted in 1978, the importance of Retinal International, and the 30+ patient led charities they coordinate with, to vision research over the last 40 years cannot be underestimated. To put some context, to hear their early efforts of uniting and informing patients, clinicians, researchers, policy makers and industry globally of the latest breakthroughs and discoveries in an era where the internet was not as readily accessible as it is today, was remarkable. Dr. McLoughlin’s talk particularly captured the tone of what this workshop embodies; in that having the opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another, and find ways to work together, ultimately leads to improvements to the needs of the patient community.
After that inspiring opener we were then ready to begin with the first of three thematic sessions; astutely organised to take us through the therapeutic pipeline - starting with the models and means of elucidating ocular pathologies, then to the development of delivery methods that overcome the nigh-impenetrable barriers that protect the eye, before finishing with aspects of translating scientific findings to innovative molecular therapies from bench to bedside.
Dr. Lasse Jensen (Linköping University and BioReperia) got us underway with his innovative approaches to modelling different phenotypes of diabetic retinopathy using the zebrafish model. Dr. Jensen presented convincing evidence for the use of the zebrafish over the oft-employed mouse as a translational model of human disease, and has used this to great effect in discovering new outcomes of anti-VEGF treatment of diabetic retinopathy of potential importance for improvement to treatments for the future.
Similarly, Dr. Tim Curtis (Queen’s University Belfast) reiterated the shortcomings of the aforementioned anti-VEGF therapeutic strategy, and presented his research groups findings examining the role of other pro-angiogenic factors in a diabetic retinopathy setting and gave a strong argument for their inclusion as therapeutic targets.
Prof. Yolanda Diebold Luque (University of Valladolid) then built upon the first two talks and reiterated in detail the importance in the choice in model for therapeutic development referring to the limitations of anti-VEGF treatments, with her talk covering how in vitro approaches have had to evolve to cope with the difficulties associated with acquiring and using human ocular tissue.
We then took a short break from in vitro and in vivo modelling, as Dr. Mark Mackey (Cresset) took us through in silico approach his company uses with which the biological activity of thousands of compounds can be determined for clients beforehand, with some interesting stories of drug reprofiling using said technique.
Dr. Natalie Hudson (Trinity College Dublin) then detailed her work on circadian clock components and their influence on the retinal function of mice. The circadian behaviour of proteins pertinent to retinal permeability was clearly highlighted with novel, unexplored therapeutic niches targeting endogenous proteins influenced by circadian rhythm as a therapeutic strategy looking incredibly promising.
Dr. Hanan Awad Alkozi (Ocupharm Diagnostics) then detailed her work looking at the therapeutic potential of a different endogenous protein; melatonin. Providing data from human subjects, Dr. Alkozi proposed that melatonin and its analogues offer great therapeutic potential in glauc