The mechanisms involved in diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema
- Research Opportunity
- PhD students, Honours students, Master of Biomedical Science
- Number of Honour Places Available
- 1
- Number of Master Places Available
- 1
| Primary Supervisor | Number | Webpage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Andrew Jobling | aij@unimelb.edu.au |
| Co-supervisor | Number | Webpage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof Erica Fletcher | e.fletcher@unimelb.edu.au |
Summary Retinal diseases are a major cause of blindness in the Western world. There are few successful treatments currently available, largely because the underlying mechanisms of disease are not well understood. The Visual Neuroscience laboratory investigates these underlying disease mechanisms using pre-clinical models and also explores potential mechanisms in individuals with potentially blinding conditions. We are currently studying two broad classes of retinal diseases: 1. Retinal degenerations 2. Retinal vascular disease and oedema.
Project Details
The retina is highly susceptible to damage arising from the high glucose concentrations present during diabetes. Individuals with type I and II diabetes often develop retinopathy (a vascular pathology) and oedema (fluid-induced swelling). Both these pathologies lead to the development of potentially blinding conditions. The development of macular oedema is thought to involve a specialist neuronal support cell called the Müller glia. Using preclinical models, this project will use in vivo imaging techniques, live cell imaging, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biology to examine the changes in the maintenance of retinal water movement and subsequent retinal swelling. Understanding these changes is critical to explaining the retinal pathology that develops during diabetes.Research Opportunities
PhD students, Honours students, Master of Biomedical Science
Students who are interested in joining this project will need to consider their elegibility as well as other requirements before contacting the supervisor of this research
Key Contact
For further information about this research, please contact a supervisor.
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