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Dr Richard Leadbeater, University of Leicester - £21,866

Monitoring macular disease early and accurately is vital for protecting sight. This project is developing innovative visual tests designed to detect subtle changes in vision that current methods often miss, helping patients and clinicians track disease progression more effectively.

Dr Amanda-Jayne Carr, UCL - £15,405

This research project uses a cutting-edge multi-omics approach to study how ageing affects the eye. By integrating data on genes, proteins, RNA, and metabolites, the research aims to build a complete picture of cellular changes in the ageing eye.

Dr Mihaela Crisan - University of Edinburgh - £25,000

This research project is investigating how abnormal blood vessel growth contributes to wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). By studying candidate protein activity, the research aims to identify potential new ways to protect the retina and preserve vision.

Dr Cerys Manning - University of Manchester - £24,920

This research project explores a promising new approach to treating Stargardt disease, a genetic condition that causes progressive vision loss. By targeting faulty messages within cells, the research aims to preserve sight and slow disease progression.

Dr Paul Roberts - City St George’s, University of London - £13,910

This project explores a new approach to understanding retinal disease by using mathematical modelling. By simulating how the retina uses nutrients and removes waste, the research aims to provide insights that are difficult to obtain through traditional experiments alone.

Dr Michael O’Hare - Queen’s University, Belfast - £25,000

The research project explores how a protein called EFEMP1 may contribute to the growth of leaky blood vessels in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Doyne’s honeycomb retinal dystrophy. By testing whether existing approved drugs can block this harmful interaction, the study aims to identify a potential new treatment that could be repurposed to help people affected by these conditions.

Dr Eleni Beli, Queen’s University Belfast - £25,000

Circadian rhythms affect many processes in the eye. This research investigates the link between day length and the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) by exposing mice to day lengths made artificially either longer or shorter than 24 hours.

Prof Heidi de Wet, University of Oxford - £25,000

This research project investigates the protein ABCC5 and its role in diabetic macular oedema (DMO).

Dr Takeshi Yoshimatsu, University of Sussex - £25,000

One of the constraints that research into macular disease can come up against is that very few animals have a macula, making it difficult to mimic the human eye.

Dr Dirk Seidel, Glasgow Caledonian University - £23,396

Macular damage impairs the ability to scan text. A healthy eye has pauses in the scanning process and this improves reading speed, accuracy and the overall pleasure in reading. This project will try to improve reading apps by mimicking these natural features of the eye.