Blindness News and Research

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Study on primary cilia formation may lead to new therapies for ciliopathies

A team of scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a network of genes that initiate and manage cilia formation. Although scientists have known about cilia for decades, only recently have they discovered their role in disease. This new discovery, which may lead to new therapies for ciliopathies, will appear in the April 15 edition of Nature.

16 Apr 2010

Spring is busting out all over - and so are eye allergies

Ah, spring. The time of year when trees and flowers bloom sending pollen into the air and causing sneezing, runny noses and watery eyes. The Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America estimates that 1 in 5 individuals are affected by eye allergies.

15 Apr 2010

Implanting blue light-filtering IOLs during cataract surgery may help preserve retina health

Implanting blue light-filtering intraocular lenses during cataract surgery helps maintain visual function and may preserve the health of the retina, specifically in disease states such as age-related macular degeneration, according to a comprehensive review published in the May/June 2010 edition of Survey of Ophthalmology.

13 Apr 2010

Tufts Medical Center researchers discover new biological pathway for advanced AMD

Researchers at Tufts Medical Center and collaborators discovered a new biological pathway for advanced age-related macular degeneration that implicates a role of the hepatic lipase gene, LIPC. This discovery will improve understanding of the disease by providing researchers another developmental pathway to explore for prevention and treatment.

13 Apr 2010

DHA crucial for male fertility

According to a University of Illinois study, omega-3 fatty acids may be good for more than heart health. A little-known omega-3 may have implications for treating male infertility.

13 Apr 2010

Nanotechnology-based vaccine cures mice with type 1 diabetes

Using a sophisticated nanotechnology-based "vaccine," researchers were able to successfully cure mice with type 1 diabetes and slow the onset of the disease in mice at risk for the disease. The study, co-funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, provides new and important insights into understanding how to stop the immune attack that causes type 1 diabetes, and could even have implications for other autoimmune diseases.

9 Apr 2010

Adherence to type 1 diabetes treatment lags if parents don't monitor

Teenagers and "tweenagers" with type 1 diabetes have more trouble sticking to their treatment plan - thus raising their risk of blindness, kidney failure and heart disease - if their parents become increasingly lax about monitoring the child's treatment, or if the mother-child relationship is poor.

8 Apr 2010

Secretary of Health announces five health research grants to improve health of Pennsylvanians

Secretary of Health Everette James today announced five health research grants totaling approximately $20 million will be awarded from Pennsylvania's share of the national tobacco settlement for 2009-2010.

8 Apr 2010

Fewer babies face health risks of early birth

The nation's preterm birth rate dropped for the second consecutive year.

7 Apr 2010

HOLCOMB C3-R cures bobsledder of impending blindness, helps win gold at 2010 Winter Olympics

It was an amazing triumph of the will, when the U.S. Bobsled Team, led by captain Steve Holcomb, took home the first Gold in 62 years at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. An amazing feat, yet only the tip of the iceberg, for 2 years prior Holcomb underwent a brand new procedure to cure his impending blindness.

7 Apr 2010

LCA: Few possess genetic mutation necessary for positive outcome from gene therapy

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a congenital retinal dystrophy present in approximately 1 of 80,000 births. It is estimated that about 3,000 people in the United States are living with LCA and will likely become blind in their lifetimes. Recently, there has been progress in gene therapy for this condition.

7 Apr 2010

Alpha cells in pancreas can convert into insulin-producing beta cells: Study

Alpha cells in the pancreas, which do not produce insulin, can convert into insulin-producing beta cells, advancing the prospect of regenerating beta cells as a cure for type 1 diabetes. The findings come from a study at the University of Geneva, co-funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, that is published today in the online edition of the scientific journal Nature.

6 Apr 2010

Altheos to fund development of ATS907 Rho-kinase inhibitor with completed $20M Series A financing

Altheos, Inc., a privately held early-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it has completed a $20 million Series A financing led by Bay City Capital. New investors Novo A/S, Canaan Partners, Life Science Angels and Atheneos Capital also joined the round. The financing will be used primarily for the development of ATS907, a selective Rho-kinase inhibitor Altheos licensed from Japanese pharmaceutical company Asahi Kasei Pharma. The license also includes a series of highly active compounds (AK138 series) specifically for topical treatment for glaucoma.

5 Apr 2010

New guidelines will make it easier to evaluate the cost of visual impairment studies

New guidelines that outline best practices for measuring the economic burden of visual impairment will make it easier for the policy, science and medical communities to draw conclusions and compare results across studies.

3 Apr 2010

Molecular mechanism behind mutation in calcium channel protein linked with night blindness

Congenital stationary night blindness, an inherited condition that affects one's ability to see in the dark, is caused by a mutation in a calcium channel protein that shuttles calcium into and out of cells. Now, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have teased apart the molecular mechanism behind this mutation, uncovering a more general principle of how cells control calcium levels.

2 Apr 2010

Scientists use non-viral, synthetic nanoparticle carrier to restores vision

Take a look at this: Scientists from Buffalo, Cleveland, and Oklahoma City made a huge step toward making the blind see, and they did it by using a form of gene therapy that does not involve the use of modified viruses.

1 Apr 2010

GSK, Isis Pharmaceuticals collaborate to develop new therapeutics for rare and serious disease

GlaxoSmithKline and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today a new strategic alliance that will apply the Isis antisense drug discovery platform to seek out and develop new therapeutics against targets for rare and serious disease, including infectious diseases and some conditions causing blindness.

31 Mar 2010

Researcher explores the use of Chinese wolfberries to improve vision deficiencies

A Kansas State University researcher is exploring the use of Chinese wolfberries to improve vision deficiencies that are common for type-2 diabetics.

31 Mar 2010

Study suggests two distinct versions of multiple sclerosis

There may be two distinct versions of multiple sclerosis, a study in both animal models and human blood samples suggests. What's more, a patient's responsiveness to the most popular first-line drug for this episodic and all-too-often recurring autoimmune condition seems to depend on which version that patient has.

30 Mar 2010

READ 3 study for DME begins enrolling participants

A Phase II clinical trial for a promising treatment for diabetic eye disease has begun enrolling participants.

27 Mar 2010

Blindness News and Research

Study on primary cilia formation may lead to new therapies for ciliopathies

Spring is busting out all over - and so are eye allergies

Implanting blue light-filtering IOLs during cataract surgery may help preserve retina health

Tufts Medical Center researchers discover new biological pathway for advanced AMD

DHA crucial for male fertility

Nanotechnology-based vaccine cures mice with type 1 diabetes

Adherence to type 1 diabetes treatment lags if parents don't monitor

Secretary of Health announces five health research grants to improve health of Pennsylvanians

Fewer babies face health risks of early birth

HOLCOMB C3-R cures bobsledder of impending blindness, helps win gold at 2010 Winter Olympics

LCA: Few possess genetic mutation necessary for positive outcome from gene therapy

Alpha cells in pancreas can convert into insulin-producing beta cells: Study

Altheos to fund development of ATS907 Rho-kinase inhibitor with completed $20M Series A financing

New guidelines will make it easier to evaluate the cost of visual impairment studies

Molecular mechanism behind mutation in calcium channel protein linked with night blindness

Scientists use non-viral, synthetic nanoparticle carrier to restores vision

GSK, Isis Pharmaceuticals collaborate to develop new therapeutics for rare and serious disease

Researcher explores the use of Chinese wolfberries to improve vision deficiencies

Study suggests two distinct versions of multiple sclerosis

READ 3 study for DME begins enrolling participants

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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