Molecular Pathology of Glaucoma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Molecular Pathology of Glaucoma
IRAS ID
133402
Contact name
Colin Willoughby
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Ulster University
Research summary
Glaucoma is the second commonest cause of blindness worldwide and accounts for about 10% of all blind registration in the UK. With an ageing population, the prevalence of glaucoma is expected to increase by 30% in the next 20 years. Despite the significant visual, social and economic burden of glaucoma our knowledge of the underlying causes of this common ocular condition is limited. The main aim of this project is to establish a clinical and sample resource to determine the genetic, molecular and cellular basis of glaucoma. Glaucoma has a multi-factorial basis with a strong genetic component. The application of ‘Omics’ technologies allow a systems biology approach to assess the genetic, molecular and cellular basis of glaucoma using the latest and emerging technologies. Pathologic changes in DNA, RNA and proteins in glaucoma can be assessed in a holistic manner. That causes of glaucoma can be demonstrated using new gene sequencing techniques which have emerged and have been successfully applied in other genetic studies. This will improve the understanding of the condition glaucoma development and pathogenesis, ultimately enabling the discovery of and this may enable us to uncover novel therapeutic targets to for protecting the optic nerve and preventing vision loss in glaucoma.
REC name
London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/1088
Date of REC Opinion
9 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion