A Visionary Approach Using Stem Cells to Repair Eye Damage

New eye research center in India aims to fix visual impairments with the help of stem cells















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Champalimaud funded C-TRACER in an effort to prevent and treat vision-related disease and illness in Portugal, Portuguese-speaking countries and throughout the developing world. The four-year-old foundation also offers a $1.48 million (1 million euro) Champalimaud Vision Award annually to researchers who have provided "major breakthroughs in the understanding of vision or in the alleviation of visual impairment and blindness," says foundation executive committee member João Botelho.

This year, the foundation will further its philanthropic medical research support by breaking ground on the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, a Lisbon research center slated to open in October 2010 and serve as the foundation's international headquarters.

In addition to the funds that LV Prasad received from Champalimaud to create C-TRACER, the institute will also receive $1 million in funding over the next five years from the Indian Ministry of Science & Technology's Department of Biotechnology.



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  1. 1. Dolly kukreja 06:21 AM 4/17/08

    my mom is suffering from retina pigmentosa from last 35 years... in this article it is mention that there is no cure for Rp, will it be cured after R&D... is R&D is going on... when it is be sucessful...
    email: Itsdollykukreja@rediffmail.com

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  2. 2. shaliniadesai 01:39 PM 8/8/08

    my father has retina detachment in both eyes .the rh eye was operated for vitero retinal surgery ,but no sucess . the left eye is also deterioting .....his vision is almost nil however during day he is able to see blurred images in the sunlight ...is stem celltherapy or gene therapy a ray of hope .pls advise ajay desai pune ,shaliniadesai@rediffmail.com

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  3. 3. J. Walter in reply to shaliniadesai 05:51 PM 10/3/08

    The second sentence in the first paragraph is incomplete.

    J. Walter Lynch

    jamwallyn@aol.com

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  4. 4. Web 04:31 PM 3/28/09

    I have damaged tissue in the back of my left eye. When I was about five or six years old I use to hang with my uncle and his friend when they played with their BB guns. I was hit in the eye with a BB. I have some vision in my eye. The upper left corner of my left eye's vision is darkend. Can I be helped with this growing new cells technology? I'm 34 now and my visision is still the same. Please respond.

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  5. 5. mujahed 05:56 AM 5/28/09

    Dear Sir/Madam,

    I have disability to see by my left eye since my birth. I am not completely blind, but i could the things in a blurred vision. Please, suggest me whether i can cell technology or any equivalent treatement to get the clear vision. Thanks.

    Regards,

    Ali.

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  6. 6. dmo112004 09:41 PM 6/2/09

    Hi
    My 3 year old daughter is legally blind due to colobomas in her retnas and iris'. Can this help her? She has the key hole in both eyes. Her case is difficult because her eyes never fully formed. Just looking at where stem cell research is at and if it can help my little one.

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  7. 7. jopower 06:38 AM 6/7/09

    A friend just forwarded this to me. As we all know of a few important people who really need vision repair, this video is worth watching. The vets wounded in war should especially get this message. I just hope we don't have to go to Australia to get it. Follow-up definitely worth pursuing and passing on.

    http://gizmodo.com/5277456/stem-cell-contact-lenses-cure-blindness-in-less-than-a-month

    Here's an article that names the involved people and institutions:

    Stem cells used to restore sight for corneal disease sufferers
    Leigh Dayton, Science writer | May 28, 2009
    Article from:� The Australian

    THREE Australians have had their sight restored thanks to their own stem cells and ordinary contact lenses.

    Although the novel technique was used to reverse blinding corneal disease, it promises to be a quick, painless and cheap treatment for other visual disorders. It may even be useful for repairing damaged skin, the researchers reported today in the journal Transplantation.

    The team leader, UNSW stem cell scientist Nick Di Girolamo said: We're quietly excited. We don't know yet if (the correction) will remain stable, but if it does it's a wonderful technique.

    According to team member Stephanie Watson�- an opthalmic surgeon with Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital�- two of the three patients were legally blind in the treated eye; they can now read big letters on the eye chart. The third could read the top few rows of the chart but is now able to pass the vision test for a driving license.


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  8. 8. OneEyedJack 03:49 PM 1/4/10

    Is there any consideration of applying stem cells to correcting irreguler astigmatism (corneal surface damage caused by Lasik)? I imagine this would be a question of removing the corneal flap and replacing it with stem cells.

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  9. 9. OneEyedJack 03:51 PM 1/4/10

    I wonder if they are considering applying stem cells to irregular astigmatism (corneal damage in this case caused through Lasik)?

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  10. 10. Charles Burrell 08:35 AM 6/24/10

    I have diagnosed with EALES disorder in my eyes. Currently 20/400 in my right, stronger eye. Will stem cell treatment help restore my vision?
    Please advise to address noted below.
    Kindest regadrs.
    Charles R. Burrell, C.P.M.
    phone: 1-319-232-9125
    e-mail: C-Burrell@mchsi.com
    1416 Ridgemont Rd.
    Waterloo, IA 50701

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  11. 11. Brian M. 04:03 PM 8/2/10

    My 16 yr. old has poor eyesight from ROP. Born @ 1Lb. 5oz., he has had 9 eye surgeries. He has had strabismis repair, detached retinas, scalar an buckeles. There is MD in one eye and restricted periphiel in the left. His acuity is corrected to 20/300 - 20/400 uncorrected is 20-3500. he does wear contacts for correction. Is there anything that the stem cell business will correct? thanks from wishful parent.

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  12. 12. sarmao 09:14 PM 7/24/11

    I suffer from ischemic neurapathy. Can stem cell technology help me

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  13. 13. redseal241 in reply to Web 07:24 PM 4/21/13

    I have the same damaged tissue in the back of my left eye, I there hope to repair this damaged, Thanks

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