Understanding fibrosis in wet AMD

Dr Amanda-Jayne Carr, UCL, Institute of Ophthalmology - £119,970

This project is investigating fibrosis in end-stage wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Fibrosis is the formation of scar tissue in the eye and can cause irreversible sight loss.

Once fibrosis has developed, the eye can no longer be treated effectively, so Dr Carr’s research is looking at whether preventing or slowing its development could help people retain their vision.

What is the problem?

Anti-VEGF injections are currently the only treatment for wet AMD. They work by stopping abnormal blood vessels from leaking fluid and blood into the macula. However, repeated treatment does not always prevent fibrosis from developing at the later stages of the disease. Once scar tissue forms, it can cause irreversible loss of vision.

What are they doing?

Dr Carr’s research focuses on a protein called LRG1, which is known to drive fibrosis in conditions affecting the lungs and kidneys. The team will investigate whether LRG1 also plays a role in fibrosis in the eye, and whether reducing LRG1 levels could slow or even stop the formation of scar tissue.

How can this help?

If fibrosis can be prevented or slowed, people with wet AMD could retain more of their vision while continuing to receive anti-VEGF treatment. This research could also help identify a new target for future treatments for wet AMD.