To cure blindness with light

Pau Gorostiza Langa

  • PROJECT LEADER

    Pau Gorostiza Langa

  • HOST ORGANIZATION, COUNTRY

    Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), Spain

  • DESCRIPTION

    Certain degenerative diseases of the retina, such as retinitis pigmentosa, cause blindness due to progressive degeneration of the cones and rods, which are light sensitive cells.

    However, in these types of blindness the neuronal circuits of the retina remain intact. Therefore, current research focuses on providing light sensitivity to the neurons of the retina, using intelligent drugs that are activated by light and act as molecular prostheses.

    The project’s researchers have already managed to restore the vision of fish in a matter of seconds. Now they want to validate the same technique in other animal models, as well as to restore a human retina’s sensitivity to light in the laboratory.

  • CONSORTIUM
    (PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, ORGANIZATION, COUNTRY)

    • Eduardo Fernández, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche (UMH), Spain

    • Amadeu Llebaria Soldevila, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain

    • Jordi Manel Monés Carilla, Barcelona Macula Foundation Research (BMF), Spain

    • Pedro de la Villa Polo, Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Spain

  • PROJECT TITLE

    Light-regulated drugs to restore sight

  • BUDGET

    €498,051