Solutions manufacturer provides &\#163;66k for Acanthamoeba study

Professor Peter Andrew and Dr Simon Kilvington at the University of Leicester's microbiology and immunology department have been awarded the research grant so that they can study the cell biology of Acanthamoeba. The award was announced in a list of external grants in Bulletin, the university's internal magazine, five months after Alcon announced controversial plans to advertise to consumers that its Opti-Free express soft lens care system 'kills Acanthamoeba'. The university funding will be used to continue the study of Acanthamoeba cell biology and corneal pathogenicity. The announcement in Bulletin said: 'Acanthamoeba is a free-living amoeba found in most soil and freshwater habitats. The organism is pathogenic to humans causing a potentially blinding eye infection. 'Contact lens wearers with poor hygiene practices are most at risk from infection and account for approximately 90 per cent of all reported cases in the UK. The funding will be used to continue the study of Acanthamoeba cell biology and corneal pathogenicity.' Roger Amass, Alcon's sales and marketing director, said: 'We have always been keen on supporting basic research throughout the world. Leicester is not the only centre to which we have given research grants.'