Limbal Stem Cell Research: Bridging the Gap for Sight

Location: Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, Biomedicine West, International Centre for Life
Time/Date: 2nd October 2012, 13:00

Francisco Figueiredo
IGM, Newcastle University 

The cornea is the clear window at the front of the eye which enables the transmission of light for normal vision. The transition between the corneal and conjunctival epithelia is formed by the limbal epithelium. There is now a substantial body of both scientific and clinical evidence pointing to the basal layer of the limbus as the location for putative corneal epithelial stem cells, or limbal stem cells, as they are more commonly known. These limbal stem cells can become deficient in various diseases, resulting in the devastating, blinding and painful condition of limbal stem cell deficiency with marked morbidity. Over the last few years we have developed a novel animal-free method to cultivate limbal and oral mucosa stem cells for corneal reconstruction and performed Phase I clinical trials, successfully treating patients suffering from severe limbal stem cell deficiency. A larger Phase II study involving 24 new patients is currently underway with funding from the MRC UK. In addition, we are currently investigating the biology of limbal stem cells and its ex vivo culture system.

Published: 17th September 2012