Research spotlight
Shedding light on the stories behind the research
In this new series of Q&As, we talk to leading researchers from Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology about their work. We find out what they've achieved so far, the challenges they face and what comes next.
We discover how cutting-edge research is being translated from lab bench to hospital bedside, with treatments and technologies that will transform the lives of NHS patients in the UK and beyond.
AutoMorph: a new tool allows researchers to analyse retinal photographs automatically
We talk to PhD student Yukun Zhou about ‘Automorph’, a computer programme he has developed to automatically analyse photographs of the back of the eye (fundus photographs). The tool is a significant development in a rapidly expanding area of medical research known as ‘oculomics’, where artificial intelligence can be used to analyse high-resolution eye images in order to reveal important signs about the health of the whole body. Read the article
ORNATE-India: tackling diabetes-related vision impairment in India
We talk to Dr Dolores Conroy, ORNATE-India’s Project Manager, about this joint UK-India study, which set out in 2017 to explore ways of combatting blindness due to diabetic retinopathy in India. We discover the technical innovations the team developed to roll out screening for DR into the community, the challenges they faced, and how COVID-19 has affected the project so far. Read the article
Goal in sight for the London Project to Cure Blindness
We talk to Professor Pete Coffey about the London Project's success in restoring sight in patients with severe wet age-related macular (AMD). He describes the revolutionary stem-cell-based technique developed by his team, whereby new retinal cells are grown in the lab before being transplanted into patients. We learn about how the project has paved the way for regenerative medicine to tackle a range of diseases. Read the article
Unleashing the potential of big data in ophthalmology
We talk to Professor Paul Foster about the UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium, a national database containing detailed eye health information from over 110,000 participants. UK Biobank is an invaluable resource for biomedical research that is already helping to transform healthcare – with eye research playing a leading role thanks to the efforts of Paul and his team. Read the article
Moorfields and Google DeepMind: bringing A.I. closer to the eye clinic – Q&A with Dr Pearse Keane
We talk to Dr Pearse Keane about the collaboration he initiated between Moorfields Eye Hospital and Google DeepMind to bring the power of Aritifical Intelligence to the clinic, with the aim of speeding up the diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration. Read the article
Taking gene therapy to the next level – Q&A with Professor Michel Michaelides
We talk to Professor Michel Michaelides about his work bringing the latest gene therapy technology to the clinic, including the trials giving hope to patients who currently have limited or no treament options. Read the article