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The LVF Ophthalmology Research Centre

The LVF Ophthalmology Research Centre was founded in 2013 by Brisbane eye doctor and Ophthalmologist, Chris Layton. The centre is located at an independent premise at the Translational Research Institute, the largest medical research institute in the Southern Hemisphere. It is one of Queensland’s fastest growing and most productive eye research centres. Our Brisbane eye research centre focuses on developing new therapies for conditions such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Our aim is to create a single, curative intervention which, much like cataract surgery, will be ideally suited for long term solutions for patients requiring monthly eye injections. It is envisaged these therapies will therefore also have substantial application in developing countries and international aid.

Our approach is to optimise next generation targeted therapeutics for the intravitreal treatment of currently blinding or fatal medical retinal conditions. The unit has developed a complete bench to bedside development pipeline, from high technology discovery work of targeted therapeutics in cell culture systems to unit sponsored clinical trials.

Current and Recent Members:

Centre Director

Professor Christopher Layton

Post Doctorial

Dr Charmaine Ramlogan-Steel (formerly National Institutes of Health)
Dr Sean Jenkins (Formerly University of Toronto)

Students

Bijay Dhungal (PhD, formerly Leiden University)
Slawomir Andrzejewski  (PhD, formerly University College London)
Aparna Murali (PhD)
Amanda Goh (Masters – UQ)
Dr Lily Hsu (Masters – University of Sydney)
Gabriela de Moraes (Marilia Medical School, Brazil: Science Without Borders)
Cindy Kawai (Science without Borders, Brazil)

Current Projects:

Vascular disorders of the Retina and Choroid

Penetrative intraviteal anti-angiogenic gene therapy approaches for sub-RPE choroidal neovascularisation in exudative macular degeneration
Targeted intravitreal gene therapy for diabetic retinopathy
Incidence and prevalence of adeno-associated virus antibodies in the type 1 diabetic population and association with diabetic retinopathy
Circulating miRNA makers of diabetic retinopathy: a 5 year study
Quantifying human clinical markers of diabetic retinal neuropathy
Case controlled clinical trial of systemic erythropoietin treatment of diabetic retinal neuropathy in humans
5 year longitudinal study of serum erythropoietin levels in type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy

Ocular Oncololgy, Uveitis and Ocular Genetics

Penetrative intravitreal and subretinal suicide gene therapy for the treatment of uveal melanoma
Intravitreal modulated immunotherapy for severe choroidal inflammation
Genetic sequencing and pathogenesis of uveal melanoma
Australian trends in the epidemiology of uveal melanoma

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