Eye
University of Oxford (MacLaren, Cehajic-Kapetanovic, Xue) | UC Berkeley IGI (Wilson)
The Eye Theme is working to develop and test a set of gene therapy strategies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as well as the vehicles to deliver these therapies.
We are pursuing three parallel projects, to develop a comprehensive suite of tools for treating ophthalmic genetic disease.
Research projects
Automated cell culture and screening at scale
Using the CellXpress.ai platform for faster and more standardised testing of potential therapies
Non-AAV delivery to retina
Investigating alternatives to adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors, to deliver base editors to the eye
Gene knockdown in Wet AMD
Working to control AMD using CRISPR
Gene replacement in Retinitis Pigmentosa
Working to restore functional protein expression
Theme publications
Personalized CRISPR therapies could soon reach thousands — here’s how
Protocol: Design and Validation of Mirtron-Mediated RNA Interference for Gene Therapy
CRISPR targeting of SNPs associated with age-related macular degeneration in ARPE-19 cells: a potential model for manipulating the complement system
Central Retinal Sensitivity Decline in RPGR-related Retinal Phenotypes
Potential CRISPR Base Editing Therapeutic Options in a Sorsby Fundus Dystrophy Patient
Team
Maram Abdalla Elsayed
DPhil Student, University of Oxford
Divya Ail
Researcher
Marco Bellini
Project Manager, Clinical Ophthalmology Research Group, University of Oxford
Grace Borchert
DPhil Student, Ramsay Scholar and Clarendon Scholar, University of Oxford
Jasmina Cehajic Kapetanovic
MRC CoRE TG Eye Theme Co-Lead
MRC CoRE TG Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Co-Lead
Associate Professor and Consultant Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon, University of Oxford
Sylvia Franklin
DPhil Student and Mabel Churn Scholar
Silja Haldrup
Postdoctoral Researcher
Molly John
DPhil student
Sahar Kiani
PA to Robert Maclaren
Vasil Kostin
DPhil Student and Macular Society Scholar
Francesco Langella
DPhil Student
Professor Robert MacLaren
MRC CoRE TG Eye Theme lead
Professor of Ophthalmology and Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon, University of Oxford
Cristina Martinez-Fernandez Dela Camara
Research Associate
Michelle McClements
Senior Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Benjamin Ng
DPhil Student, Fight for Sight Scholar, University of Oxford
Arjun Padmanbhan
Post-doctoral researcher
Ahmed Salman
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Hoda Shamsnajafabadi
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Celia Sourd
Postdoctoral Research Scientist, University of Oxford
Tien-En Tan
DPhil Student
Beatrice Tynan
Researcher
Professor Ross Wilson
Kanmin Xue
MRC CoRE Eye Theme Co-Lead
Associate Professor & Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellow, University of Oxford
Qingyun Zheng
Postdoctoral Research Scientist