Skip to main content
Start of main content.

NHMRC grant awarded for research into age-related blindness

A cure for one of the leading causes of age-related blindness is a step closer thanks to a Bond University-led research team being awarded a prestigious government grant of almost $700,000.

The funding of $683,062 from the federal government’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), was allocated to Associate Professor Nigel Barnett, from Bond University’s Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University Professor Helen O’Neill, and Professor Steven Bottle from Queensland University of Technology, for their work on retinal stem cell therapy in the immunoprivileged eye.

Dr Barnett said as part of age-related macular degeneration, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in the eye become damaged and die, meaning they’re no longer able to support the eye’s photoreceptor cells which capture light, leading to those cells also dying. 

“What this project aims to do is to use stem cells to create new RPE cells which we’ll then implant into the eye, so the new healthy RPE cells will support the photoreceptors before they die”, Dr Barnett said.

He said the group was thrilled to receive the funding, allocated over three years, which would allow them to further their research and provide salaries for a post-doctoral fellow and a research assistant.

While there were other groups around the world working towards a similar goal, Dr Barnett said the technique his group was using was distinctive. 

“Our advantage is that our RPE cell production procedure is highly efficient and can be scaled up to produce large quantities of clinical grade cells.”

The group has also developed novel drugs which will help the new RPE cells survive within the damaged eye.  

More from Bond

  • Adults caught in cyberbully cycle

    Cyber abuse is often considered a teen problem but new research shows it affects adults too, with victims frequently going on to become perpetrators.

    Read article
  • The lucrative obsessions of Gen Alpha

    Gen Alpha is about to become the most powerful consumer generation in history. Dr Vishal Mehrotra says brands have no choice but to play by their rules.

    Read article
  • Would you trust an AI mayor?

    AI has the power to transform urban living - provided humans stay in control, says Dr Shoeb Memon.

    Read article
  • Rethinking retirement for a generation without homes

    Millennials face a future of retirement debt and housing stress, say Assistant Professors Twane Wessels and Lucia Viegas.

    Read article
  • Using blockchain to protect wildlife

    Blockchain is giving donors a direct role in wildlife conservation, says Dr Rand Low.

    Read article
Previous Next