» Systemic delivery of stem cells rescue photoreceptors in model of retinitis pigmentosa....Researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland have demonstrated that a tail vein injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the Royal College of Surgeon rat results in a preservation of rod and cone photoreceptors.
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Targeting of pericyte cells may provide a new target for diabetic retinopathy....A Harvard-led research team have reported an entirely novel target in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. The research group, led by Dr. George King at the Harvard Medical School, showed that high levels of glucose were capable of quenching a specific growth factor that
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» New links uncovered between childhood blindness and the AHI1 gene....An international research consortium led by a team at the University of California, San Diego have shown that mutations in AHI1 (Abelson helper integration site-1 gene) are associated with abnormal photoreceptor structure and an abnormal distribution of opsin in the photoreceptor
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Publish or perish - insiders advice on how to avoid the rejection slip....Recent analysis of 662 manuscripts submitted to Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (CEO) have identified the top 7 reasons why manuscript submissions fail to survive the editor's red pen. In an review published in CEO the most common reasons listed for rejection of a
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Global estimates show that almost 16 million people may suffer retinal vein occlusion (RVO) ....Pooled population studies from Europe, the US, Asia and Australia have shown that approximately 16 million people are estimated to be affected by retinal vein occlusion (RVO). The study by the International Eye Disease Consortium (IEDC) combined individual level data
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Mind the gap - satisfaction with treatment differs between patients and doctors....Recent research from McGill University and the University of Montreal, Canada has shown that objective measures of visual function following treatment do not necessarily agree with the patients' viewpoint
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Potentia Pharmaceuticals licenses complement pathway inhibitor for macular degeneration ....Potentia Pharmaceuticals, a speciality biotechnology company focused on treatments for AMD, have announced a licensing and share purchase option agreement with Alcon, Inc (ACL:NYSE). The agreements provide a license from Potentia to Alcon Research Ltd for the development of
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Novartis announces full takeover plans of Alcon ....Novartis has proposed a full purchase of Alcon, Inc (ALC:NYSE) for a reported $39.3 billion bringing the total cash price of its Alcon acquisition to just under $50 billion (Novartis had previously bought a 25% stake in the company in April 2008 for $10.4 billion).
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» US medical insurance firm shows no difference between Avastin and Lucentis treatments....A study comparing the use of bevacizumab (marketed as Avastin) and ranibizumab (marketed as Lucentis) has shown that the two "wet" AMD treatments are equally effective at halting vision loss. The study, conducted by Dr. Donald S. Fong of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Treating colour blindness with gene therapy shifts long held beliefs.....New research has demonstrated that colour blindness may be capable of rescue by a simple sub-retinal injection of the genetic sequence for the missing photopigment. A research team, based at the University of Washington, have comprehensively shown that animals, previously
Date Posted: 04/03/2010
» Mother Nature never fails to impress - nuclear architecture within the retina....A remarkable paper published in the prestigious journal Cell is set to revise long held assumptions on how genes may be organised within the nucleus of cells. A collaborative research team comprising German, UK and Canadian scientists have shown for the first time that the organisation of chromosomes within mouse rod photoreceptor cells is not onl
Date Posted: 04/11/2009
Dear EURETINA Members,
A very warm welcome to the March 2010 edition of EURETINA's web-based digital magazine, "EURETINA Brief"©.
EURETINA are delighted to continue our delivery of up to date summary briefs on a range of topics of interest to retinal specialists across Europe. This resource is designed to accommodate the very busy schedules of all our members by providing them with a short overview of some new developments in our field over the last month.
In this issue you will notice the incorporation of a feedback section where you can comment on any of the news items or articles under discussion. Previous articles and issues can be found in the archive section [link to Archive]
Our current March issue highlights a number of exciting developments in the field of research, including developments in paediatric blindness, diabetic retinopathy and stem cell therapies. Our clinical section includes a report on the IDECs estimate of global retinal vein occlusion while updates from the world of business and innovation include the widely heralded acquisition plans of Novartis and a potentially significant licensing deal around one of the first complement inhibitors to enter human clinical trials.
Finally, our feature bio-ophthalmology article this month reports on some fascinating research into the field of corrective gene therapy for colour-blindness. New research has demonstrated that colour blindness may be capable of rescue by a simple sub-retinal injection of the genetic sequence for the missing photopigment. A research team, based at the University of Washington, have comprehensively shown that animals, previously documented to be colour-blind, are capable of colour discrimination within 20 weeks of treatment. The research not only adds optimism to the field of gene therapy for many other retinal disorders but also suggests an encouraging level of plasticity in how the brain manages new information.
As always, increased interaction by you with the EURETINA web community serves to expand your professional network and keep you abreast of the latest initiatives in your field. Our hope is that such cross-fertilisation in an active web-based platform will lead to increased collaborative opportunities and ultimately to improved patient care. We look forward to hearing from you.
Dr. Gearóid Tuohy, EURETINA.png)