Eye Diseases

Stem cells Cells that have the ability to differentiate into multiple types of cells and make an unlimited number of copies of themselves. Stem cells Cells that have the ability to differentiate into multiple types of cells and make an unlimited number of copies of themselves. are a critical tool for understanding the molecular and cellular processes underlying eye health and disease, allowing for more effective research and therapy development.

Our researchers work closely with scientists and clinicians at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute to translate advances in stem cell research into innovative cell and regenerative therapies for a range of blinding eye conditions. Together, they’re creating disease-in-a-dish These models use lab-grown cell structures made from patient tissue samples to study human disease outside of the body. Cells are reprogrammed to a pluripotent state, then transformed into different cell types, allowing scientists to study disease processes in a controlled environment. They differ from organoids, which offer a more complex and organ-specific perspective, capturing cellular diversity and interactions. disease-in-a-dish These models use lab-grown cell structures made from patient tissue samples to study human disease outside of the body. Cells are reprogrammed to a pluripotent state, then transformed into different cell types, allowing scientists to study disease processes in a controlled environment. They differ from organoids, which offer a more complex and organ-specific perspective, capturing cellular diversity and interactions. models of eye diseases and developing methods that use stem cells to generate the many cell types that enable us to see. 

This research is well on its way to benefitting patients; UCLA physicians performed the first-ever transplant of stem cell-derived retinal cells in a clinical trial A research study conducted with human participants to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new medical treatments, interventions, drugs or medical devices. clinical trial A research study conducted with human participants to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new medical treatments, interventions, drugs or medical devices. for age-related macular degeneration. Building on this work, our scientists are continuing to develop therapies that use a patient’s own stem cells to grow and replace eye cells that have been lost due to aging, injury, or diseases such as Stargardt’s macular dystrophy and corneal edema.