Vision and Vascular Medicine

WWIEM is internationally recognised for its research in Ophthalmology and Diabetic Vascular Disease. Currently, the Vision and Vascular Medicine Theme consists of 16 PI-led teams of lab-based and clinical scientists with research endeavours ranging from NIHR/commercial clinical trials, clinical phenotyping/diagnostics, cellular and molecular pathology, therapeutic target development and drug discovery. Most of the Ophthalmology work is focused on two of the major causes of vision loss in developed countries: diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Several teams are addressing how early molecular and cellular events contribute to the development of the late-stage complications associated with these diseases. Importantly, several clinical trials for diabetic macular oedema (DMO) are ongoing within the Northern Ireland Clinical Trials Unit, including the DIAMONDS Trial, which is examining whether micropulse laser treatment is a useful therapeutic alternative to the use of conventional laser therapy. In addition to retinopathy, Diabetes and Vascular Research within WWIEM is also focused on diabetic cardiomyopathy, peripheral vascular disease and nephropathy. Microvascular dysfunction represents a common pathway in the pathogenesis of each of these complications and a number of groups are focusing their attention on the potential of harnessing induced pluripotent stem cells and circulating progenitors to direct microvascular regeneration and function.