The doctor who fights vision loss and wildfires

Doctor Dennis Clegg, a researcher and scientist at UC Santa Barbara, is fascinated by the eye. He thinks it’s one of the most beautiful objects in nature and wonders how something as complex and elegant developed and is able to connect with our brains to make vision possible. That’s why he has spent his career … Continue reading The doctor who fights vision loss and wildfires

Stem cells help researchers map out glaucoma in search for new treatments

Glaucoma is the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness. There is no cure and current treatments are only able to slow down the progression of the disease. Now research using stem cells to create a genetic blueprint of glaucoma is giving scientist a powerful new tool to combat the disease. Glaucoma occurs when healthy retinal … Continue reading Stem cells help researchers map out glaucoma in search for new treatments

Reprogramming brain cells to restore vision after a stroke

THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST About one third of stroke survivors experience vision loss. It can be a devastating side effect as most patients will not fully recover their vision and there are currently no reliable treatments available. But thanks to a collaborative effort by two teams of researchers from Purdue … Continue reading Reprogramming brain cells to restore vision after a stroke

Lab-made retinas offer a new approach to battling vision loss

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. Now, new research using 3D organoid models of the eye has uncovered clues as to what happens in AMD, and how to stop it.  In AMD, a person loses their central vision because the light sensitive cells in the macula, a … Continue reading Lab-made retinas offer a new approach to battling vision loss

Two voices, one message, watch out for predatory stem cell clinics Last week two new papers came out echoing each other about the dangers of bogus “therapies” being offered by predatory stem cell clinics and the risks they pose to patients. The first was from the Pew Charitable Trusts entitled: ‘Harms Linked to Unapproved Stem … Continue reading

Stem cell-derived retinal patch continues to show promising results two years post-implantation

Earlier this year we wrote about the promising results of a phase 1 clinical trial aimed at replacing the deteriorating cells in the retinas of people suffering from age-related macular degeneration- one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide for people over 50. Now there’s even more good news! Highlighted in a news story on … Continue reading Stem cell-derived retinal patch continues to show promising results two years post-implantation