Drug Delivery Vehicle for Gene Silencing in the Posterior Segment of the Eye

Retinal diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cause vision blur and distortion, eventually leading to vision loss. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in patients over 60, affecting an estimated 200 million people worldwide. Current treatments require patients to receive monthly injections into the back of the eye, risking adverse effects and placing a tremendous burden on both the patient and healthcare system. RNA interference offers greater potency compared to traditional AMD treatments, with the potential to reduce injection frequency and volume. However, clinical implementation is limited by stability and long-term delivery, and methods for ensuring safe and effective delivery to the target cells are needed. The proposed project is focused on the development of a novel material for RNA encapsulation and delivery for the treatment of AMD. This project has the potential to seed a collaboration between the home and host institutions as we have overlapping research interests and differing areas of expertise.

Faculty Supervisor:

Heather Sheardown

Student:

Partner:

University of Auckland

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Biotechnology

University:

McMaster University

Program: