Project information
Project manager
Camilla Mohlin
Other project members
Per H Nilsson, Kerstin Sandholm, Linnaeus University; Kristina Nilsson Ekdahl, Linnaeus University and Uppsala University; Yuji Teramura; Tokyo University, Japan
Participating organizations
Linnaeus University; Uppsala University; Tokyo University, Japan
Financier
ARMEC, Lindbergh Foundation
Timetable
1 Jan 2022–31 Jan 2023
Subject
Biomedical Science (Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences)
More about the project
Research has recognized the complement system's involvement in macular degeneration, but how the complement system is activated and regulated in this devastating disease is not known. There is currently no cure for macular degeneration and as the elderly population increases in number, macular degeneration also increases. Thus, the demand for new possible treatment methods against macular degeneration is also increasing, and it is therefore of great interest to find new available forms of treatment and the complement system components seem to be a promising goal.
There is a dysregulation of the complement system in macular degeneration and our hypothesis is that it causes insufficient processing of cellular material, which leads to the formation of submacular drusen and increased secretion of angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The research project aims to investigate the effect of complement regulators, mainly factor H, on the pathophysiology of macular degeneration and then mainly secretion of VEGF. The focus of the project is also to investigate the effect of these regulators as potential complement inhibitors and then as a new form of treatment for macular degeneration. The project uses an experimental model where we mimic macular degeneration outside the eye and body.
The project is part of the research in the Eye and complement laboratory (EyeComp) research group and the research environment Linnaeus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, and Linnaeus Knowledge Environment Advanced Materials.
Staff
