Discovery Eye Foundation Provides Bridge Funding for a Wide Range of Research Projects and Eye Diseases

Eye Diseases Targeted Include:

  • Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
  • Keratoconus
  • Diabetic Retinopathy
  • Retinitis Pigmentosa
  • Glaucoma
  • Ocular Herpes

Projects for Early Diagnosis Include:

  • Genetic testing to identify high risk subjects
  • Instruments to identify changes in color vision for AMD
  • Identification of biomarkers

Projects for Treatments Include:

  • Stem cell therapies
  • Pre-clinical studies with mitochondria targeting drugs
  • Screening nutraceutical supplements to rescue damaged cells
  • Laser therapies to improve keratoconus crosslinking
  • Vaccine development to reduce corneal herpes scarring

 

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS LISTED BELOW

Color Vision, AMD and DEF — Collaborations Aim to Prevent AMD Progression

People see color thanks to cone photoreceptors in the macula area of the retina. There are three types of cone photoreceptors that see color: The blue cones distinguish short wavelength light, the green cones see medium wavelength light, and the red cones perceive long wavelength light. The light-sensitive proteins that make possible color perception within these cones are called “opsins.” The genes that make up these opsins allow people to see color, so the genetics of one’s opsins influence how much color a person can see.

DEF Research Director Dr. Cristina Kenney was approached about five years ago by Dr. Kimberly Jameson of the Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences at UC Irvine. Jameson is interested in the perception of color vision — specifically how it relates to the genetics of opsins. Since Kenney’s lab is known for studying genetics and AMD, this interest fits perfectly into the lab’s work.  read more…

Cancer and the Eye Collaboration –  

Researchers are realizing mitochondria play a key role in age-related diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

This is not news to DEF Research Director Dr. Cristina Kenney, who has been studying mitochondria for many years; it is the basis for much of her research on AMD and aging.

Most recently, Kenney has entered into a collaboration with Dr. Daniela Bota, Medical Director of the Neuro-Oncology Program at UC Irvine, to investigate the role of mitochondria in cancer-related fatigue and “chemo-brain.” Bota has found that mitochondria play an important role in the development of cancer, as well as in the response of an individual to treatments.

The collaboration involves doing work around the process of fatigue as a response to chemotherapies.  Specifically, research is also helping to investigate the condition known as ‘chemo brain,’ where after treatment, the brain doesn’t function well.  The researcher believe it is the insult of chemo drugs to the mitochondria — the energy producers of cells — that causes fatigue, ‘chemo brain’ and even retinopathy.”

Thanks to funding from a DEF donor, the researchers are looking at the idea of employing protective agents, such as antioxidants, to minimize the negative effects of chemotherapy. 

Dr. Cristina Kenney’s Mitochondria Research

The Mitochondria Research Group at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine are using the transmitochondrial cybrid model, which are cell lines with identical nuclei, but with each line containing mitochondria from a different person, they have shown that the mitochondria have major regulation powers over cell behavior and expression of disease-related pathways. read more…

Cross-linking Breakthrough for Keratoconus

DEF-funded research leads to knew device for corneal stiffening. Tremendous advances in corneal crosslinking (CXL) for those with keratoconus (KC) are being made by DEF-funded researcher James Jester, PhD, the Jack H. Skirball Endowed Research Chair and professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at UC Irvine. read more…

Stem Cells and Retinal Regeneration

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Retinal regeneration is a new and innovative approach to help replace damaged retinal cells using stem cells and other modalities to prevent vision loss and facilitate the restoration of lost vision. read more…

Dr. Klassen’s Presentation On Retinal Cells

My current interest is in stem cells–and I’ve gotten kind of fond of those cells–but my main goes is repairing the retina read more…

Eradicating Ocular Herpes

DEF-funded prototype vaccine shows promise in preventing eye and other diseases. A priority of The Discovery Eye Foundation (DEF) is the research of ocular herpes (OH) and infectious blindness. In addition to causing swelling, redness, watery eye discharge, sensitivity to light, or even blisters on the eyelids, OH – or herpes of the eye – can cause severe scarring of the cornea, the transparent dome-shaped membrane that covers the center eye. read more…

Ocular Herpes: Learning how to prevent ocular herpes and infectious blindness. Researchers supported by DEF have made great progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of ocular herpes including its latency, reactivation, and scarring. Scientists continue to gain an understanding of LAT, the major virus gene active during herpes latency, including its central role in keeping the virus invisible between attacks and ways in which it inhibits the body’s immune response to the herpes infection. read more…

Corneal Scarring & Its Prevention

Corneal transplantation is undergoing a revolution with new technologies that are being investigated to improve results, including lasers and the use of corneal stem cells. Scientists are studying the causes of corneal scarring after trauma, surgery and disease to understand the molecular causes and to harness new therapies to prevent corneal blindness. Regenerative Medicine and Biology is a new discipline being applied to the eye including the cornea as means to replace a cornea without the need for human donor corneas. read more…

Understanding Primary Open-angle Glaucoma

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is characterized by progressive cupping of the optic disc and posterior displacement and compression of the lamina cribrosa (LC), usually associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). read more…