News within Clinical Medicine
Dr Sarah Doyle recipient of Science Foundation Ireland's Technology Innovation Development Award
Dr Sarah Doyle (Innate Immune Regulation and Inflammation Laboratory) is a recipient of Science Foundation Ireland's Technology Innovation Development Award to research 'Investigating the use of IL-36 to reduce oedema and neovascularisation in models of retinal degeneration'.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a blinding condition where central vision is lost. "Wet" AMD is the most severe form of AMD, in which unwanted blood-vessel sprouting and leakage causes blindness. A significant number of patients do not respond to the current therapies for wet AMD, therefore new therapies for this debilitating blindness are needed. We have found that a chemical made by our immune system, which is found naturally in our bodies can control aspects of blood vessel growth. Our research will test how manipulating our immune system can enhance the body's ability to prevent unwanted blood-vessel sprouting in wet AMD.