NEWSFLASH!
AUSTRALIAN INHERITED RETINAL DISEASE REGISTER AND DATA BANK
With the support of its State bodies, Retina Australia is
providing --------funds to expand the Inherited Retinal
Disease Register and DNA Bank held in Western Australia at
the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, to include all persons
within Australia with an inherited retinal eye disease, and
selected blood relatives who wish to participate.
The
procedure is simple - a sample of blood or saliva is taken,
and forwarded to the IRDR laboratory where the DNA is
extracted and held in secure conditions.
This material will form a databank of samples which will be
made available to any gene therapy researcher in the world
who seeks to make use of it. In the future, when funds are
available, the DNA material will be ‘sequenced’ to ascertain
the individual’s specific errant retinal gene, or in the
case of blood relatives, whether or not they carry the gene.
For
people living in NSW, information about participation in the
Inherited Retinal Disease Register can be obtained by
contacting Retina Australia (NSW).
Intensive research
has been fostered by the world’s RP groups and is making
headway in unravelling the mysteries of RP and will
hopefully soon lead to effective treatment and ultimately a
cure.
Current approaches to research
include -
- Understanding the structure and
function of the retinal cells and their interaction with
connections to the brain.
- Modification of the diseased
retinal cells by genetic manipulation.
- Replacement of the diseased
retinal cells with stem cells - derived either from
embryos or adults.
- Insertion of electronic equipment
to function as a bionic eye.
Significant
valuable research in Australia is contributing to the global
effort in trying to overcome RP and other degenerative eye
diseases. Australian research is funded by Retina Australia,
through its grants program, and the National Health and
Medical Research Council (NH&MRC).
See also
Research
Grants |
