A study led by Dr Fred Chen, from the Lions Eye Institute, is targeting inherited retinal disease and the dry form of macular degeneration in WA patients. The goal of the study is to identify novel and effective therapies for these conditions.
Currently, more than 900 participants including patients and unaffected healthy individuals have been recruited into the study. Participants have donated blood and skin tissue samples for detection of autoantibodies, genetic variant analysis and stem cell disease modelling.
“The WARD study provides an opportunity for patients to be monitored for their disease progression, preparing them for future clinical trials,” said Dr Samuel McLenachan, from the Ocular Tissue Engineering Laboratory team at the Lions Eye Institute.
“Additionally, the WARD study supports the collection and biobanking of blood, skin and DNA samples from our patients, providing material for genetic and molecular studies into the various causes of retinal disease in WA,” he added.
Currently, various projects are being developed as part of the WARD study, exploring different aspects of retinal diseases, such as clinical and genetic studies on patients and disease modelling and treatment development projects using patient-derived cells. Some of the projects currently in place include:
- Use of multimodal imaging for monitoring retinal disease progression;
- Retinal disease modelling using patient-derived stem cell models;
- Development of treatments for Usher Syndrome;
- Understanding clinical variability in Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa;
- Biomarker discovery in AMD.
Key information
The WARD study is funded by grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council and WA Department of Health, by charities, such as Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia, Macular Disease Foundation Australia, Retina Australia, the McCusker Charitable Foundation and donations.
The project is led by Dr Fred Chen and involves multiple collaborators including the Australian Inherited Retinal Diseases Registry at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Murdoch University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Melbourne and Australian National University.
The WARD study is targeting age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal diseases such as Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, retinitis pigmentosa, and other gene-associated retinopathies.
For more information, contact Caroline Cousins, Communications Manager at the Lions Eye Institute.