UWA, COVS and LEIUWA, COVS and LEI

• COVS is effectively the academic arm of LEI through which competitive research grants are managed and to which academic appointments are made

• LEI provides extensive office and laboratory research facilities, equipment and infrastructure for research groups

• LEI/COVS provide unique translational opportunities. Institute bridges clinical, teaching and research work

Molecular Ophthalmology

•Development and characterization of animal models for age-related macular degeneration and ocular neovascularisation•The potential of marrow stromal cells for cell-based therapeutic treatment of ocular diseases•Establishment of a DNA Bank for retinitis pigmentosa sufferers in WA and their families•Antisense therapy for ocular diseases•Gene-based treatment strategies for diabetic retinopathy•Computational technology to model biological processes •Preclinical evaluation of sFlt secretion gene therapy for retinal and choroidal neovascularisation

rAAV.sFlt-1 secretion gene limits vascular leakage

Shen et al., Archives of Ophthalmol 122: 353-360 (2004)

maculamacula

3 months3 months

24 months24 months12 months12 months

rAAV.GFP rAAV.GFP rAAV.sFlt-1

Publications(2000-2010): 76

Funding NHMRCFoundation for Fighting Blindness USA Juvenile Diabetes Research FoundationLions Save Sight Foundation Retina Australia

NHMRC “Ten of the best” award in 2004

Physiology and Pharmacology

Advanced New Therapeutics and Diagnostics in Retinal Diseases and Glaucoma

• Microelectrode measurements of retinal oxygen distribution

• Animal models of retinal disease and glaucoma

• Retinal blood flow and vascular disease

• New therapeutic strategies• Basic research and clinical

projects6 PhDs, 4 MDs, 3 Support Staff plus

students

Achievements

• novel laser technologies • dissolving tube for the treatment of glaucoma

• > 200 research papers and 10 patents• consecutive NHMRC Program Grants• ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Science• >$14 Million in NHMRC and ARC funding

• major commercialisation of new glaucoma treatment

Genetics and Population Health

• Glaucoma Inheritance Study in Tasmania (GIST)one of the largest glaucoma biobanks >5,000 DNA samples & clinical data>50 papers, including Science, Nature Genetics, New England Journal Meddiscovery of the myocilin and Caveolin genes.Western Australian Glaucoma Inheritance Study established in WA

• Twins Eye Study in Tasmania and Brisbane genome wide analysis to identify genes associated with ocular measures related to disease

• Norfolk Island Eye Study (NIES)study cause of eye diseases incl glaucoma, myopia and AMD

• Strabismuspedigrees of strabismus patients in Tasmania and now Western Australia

Raine Eye Health Study

ophthalmic examinations on 2,167 prospectively followed Raine Birth Cohort members (now 20 yrs, have 610,000 GWAS analysis)

establish an ophthalmic baseline for a cohort that can be followed through later adult life

 Busselton Healthy Ageing Study

longitudinal cohort study of 5,000 adults

collect epidemiological, clinical and genetic data on a range of conditions of economic and public health importance in an ageing population

Immunology and Virology

International leaders in immunology and viral immunogenetics

model of persistent viral infections

Seminal research in innate immunitymultiple papers in high impact journals (Science, Nature Immunology x4, Immunity, J Exp Medicine). Many >200/paper citations

Identified immune responses required to limit persistent viral infectionsClinical relevance – CMV, HEP B, HIV, transplantation

Continuous NHMRC funding since 1999, NHMRC Program Grant in 2010

Ocular Immunology – new initiative commenced in 2008

Immune responses to ocular viral infection

What tissues/cells are infectedImpact of the virusImpact of anti-viral immune responses

Immune responses to ocular gene therapy

First study of immune responses to gene therapy in small and large animal models

Preclinical data required for TGA approval of gene therapy

Impact of systemic infection on inflammation in the eye

First evidence of impact of systemic disease on CNSIdentified relevant mechanismsImportant clinical connotations

New models of autoimmune disease of the eye

Autoimmune uveitis

First model of spontaneous autoimmune disease of the eyeHow is tolerance maintainedCan study disease progression and impact of intervention Autoimmune disease with ocular complications – AS associated uveitis

First mouse model of SpAIdentify cause including microbial triggerDefine relevant mechanismsCan trial intervention strategies in vivo

Several publications including in the pipeline (in preparation and/or submitted)

New research ventures

Stem Cell Research

Indigenous Health