Ocular oxidation v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Sources of oxidative stress in ocular tissues and antioxidant protection
IRAS ID
361922
Contact name
Malgorzata B. Rozanowska
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the major cause of blindness in people above 50 years of age, affecting ~25% of people over the age of 60 in Europe. The age-related changes include accumulation of pigment granules in the retinal cells and deposits in Bruch’s membrane (BrM), which separates the retina from its blood supply. These age-related deposits are thought to contribute to the loss of function of the retinal cells and then their death but the identity of the major contributors to these toxic properties remains unknown. The lens is also subject to age-related changes, which involve oxidation and aggregation of lens proteins leading to cataract. accumulates age-cataract. The main purpose of the project is to identify the major components responsible for the generation of toxic species in the retina and lens when exposed to light and develop therapeutic strategies to prevent their formation and/or to counteract their deleterious effects. To do so, we will obtain human eyes from biobanks, dissect them to isolate the lenses and other parts of the eye known to contain such components, and then extract and identify their chemical structure and characterise their properties. This will allow to develop therapeutic strategies to prevent their formation and/or to counteract their deleterious effects, thereby preventing the development or progression of AMD and cataract.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/WM/0179
Date of REC Opinion
20 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion