14/02/2013
Study Could Save Sight Of Diabetes Sufferers
A team at Queen’s University in Belfast is working on a new project which could enable stem cells to save the sight of diabetes sufferers.
Diabetics can suffer from a condition caused by high blood sugar which blocks blood vessels in the eye and can lead to blindness.
But the new study, REDDSTAR (Repair of Diabetic Damage by Stromal Cell Administration) could see stem cells from donors isolated and expanded to be re-delivered to a patient and repair the blood vessels in the eye.
The €6m EU funded research is being carried out with NUI Galway and brings together experts from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal and the US.
Professor Alan Stitt, Director of the Centre for Vision and Vascular Science in Queen’s and lead scientist for the project said: "The impact could be profound for patients, because regeneration of damaged retina could prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy and reduce the risk of vision loss.
"Currently available treatments for diabetic retinopathy are not always satisfactory. They focus on end-stages of the disease, carry many side effects and fail to address the root causes of the condition. A novel, alternative therapeutic approach is to harness adult stem cells to promote regeneration of the damaged retinal blood vessels and thereby prevent and/or reverse retinopathy.
"This new research project is one of several regenerative medicine approaches ongoing in the centre. The approach is quite simple: we plan to isolate a very defined population of stem cells and then deliver them to sites in the body that have been damaged by diabetes. In the case of some patients with diabetes, they may gain enormous benefit from stem cell-mediated repair of damaged blood vessels in their retina. This is the first step towards an exciting new therapy in an area where it is desperately needed."
(IT)
Diabetics can suffer from a condition caused by high blood sugar which blocks blood vessels in the eye and can lead to blindness.
But the new study, REDDSTAR (Repair of Diabetic Damage by Stromal Cell Administration) could see stem cells from donors isolated and expanded to be re-delivered to a patient and repair the blood vessels in the eye.
The €6m EU funded research is being carried out with NUI Galway and brings together experts from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal and the US.
Professor Alan Stitt, Director of the Centre for Vision and Vascular Science in Queen’s and lead scientist for the project said: "The impact could be profound for patients, because regeneration of damaged retina could prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy and reduce the risk of vision loss.
"Currently available treatments for diabetic retinopathy are not always satisfactory. They focus on end-stages of the disease, carry many side effects and fail to address the root causes of the condition. A novel, alternative therapeutic approach is to harness adult stem cells to promote regeneration of the damaged retinal blood vessels and thereby prevent and/or reverse retinopathy.
"This new research project is one of several regenerative medicine approaches ongoing in the centre. The approach is quite simple: we plan to isolate a very defined population of stem cells and then deliver them to sites in the body that have been damaged by diabetes. In the case of some patients with diabetes, they may gain enormous benefit from stem cell-mediated repair of damaged blood vessels in their retina. This is the first step towards an exciting new therapy in an area where it is desperately needed."
(IT)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
03 February 2005
Professor expresses concern over stem cell research
A leading Professor of Molecular Biosciences has expressed concern that “human embryos are being cloned in the UK for the purpose of stem cell research”. Valerie McKelvey-Martin, a Professor at the University of Ulster, made her remarks as she delivered a lecture on the science of DNA to an audience at the University of Ulster’s Coleraine campus.
Professor expresses concern over stem cell research
A leading Professor of Molecular Biosciences has expressed concern that “human embryos are being cloned in the UK for the purpose of stem cell research”. Valerie McKelvey-Martin, a Professor at the University of Ulster, made her remarks as she delivered a lecture on the science of DNA to an audience at the University of Ulster’s Coleraine campus.
01 October 2009
Schools Focus On Science & Technology
Science, technology, engineering and maths - or 'STEM subjects - are to receive top priority in NI schools. A review - commissioned in 2007 against a backdrop of reducing student numbers choosing STEM subjects - has shown that getting more students to choose such subjects is a key part of the development of the Northern Ireland economy.
Schools Focus On Science & Technology
Science, technology, engineering and maths - or 'STEM subjects - are to receive top priority in NI schools. A review - commissioned in 2007 against a backdrop of reducing student numbers choosing STEM subjects - has shown that getting more students to choose such subjects is a key part of the development of the Northern Ireland economy.
12 November 2014
Derry City Council To 'Go Blue' For World Diabetes Day
Derry City Council has said it will turn its office building blue to raise awareness for people living in the area with diabetes. To mark World Diabetes Day on 14 November, famous landmarks, buildings and monuments around the world 'go blue' for diabetes by lighting up in blue lights.
Derry City Council To 'Go Blue' For World Diabetes Day
Derry City Council has said it will turn its office building blue to raise awareness for people living in the area with diabetes. To mark World Diabetes Day on 14 November, famous landmarks, buildings and monuments around the world 'go blue' for diabetes by lighting up in blue lights.
07 September 2017
Aspirin Could Reverse The Effects Of Tooth Decay
Aspirin could reverse the effects of tooth decay, according to researchers at Queen's University in Belfast. Taking aspirin could also result in a reduction in the need for fillings, the findings have revealed.
Aspirin Could Reverse The Effects Of Tooth Decay
Aspirin could reverse the effects of tooth decay, according to researchers at Queen's University in Belfast. Taking aspirin could also result in a reduction in the need for fillings, the findings have revealed.
15 November 2001
A healthy lifestyle can help prevent diabetes
The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Bairbre de Brún marked the occasion of World Diabetes Day by urging people to take regular exercise and pay careful attention to what they eat.
A healthy lifestyle can help prevent diabetes
The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Bairbre de Brún marked the occasion of World Diabetes Day by urging people to take regular exercise and pay careful attention to what they eat.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
