Carl M Sheridan
University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
Title: Stem cells and tissue engineering as emerging therapies in ophthalmology
Biography
Biography: Carl M Sheridan
Abstract
The eye is a significant focus for advancing regenerative medicine and translational research into human patients. The talk aims
to highlight these by addressing tissue-engineering (TE) approaches for the cornea and retina. New cell-based therapies are
emerging to repair or replace specific cells within the retina. These techniques are at the forefront of human stem cell research
and gene therapy with several phase 1/2 clinical trials currently underway including the first use of iPS cells in human trials.
They offer substantial hope for treating numerous retinal diseases such as Age-related Macular Degeneration. In addition corneal
diseases have often been successfully treated by allogeneic corneal transplantation, yet supply shortage through human donor eye
banks, optical clarity or graft rejection remains a major challenges. Corneal TE research is encompassing scaffolds for stromal and
endothelial transplants, optical transparency or in vivo biocompatibility studies.