Moorfields’ £1.1m for genome screening

Moorfields consultant ophthalmologist Dr Mariya Moosajee has been awarded a £1.1m research fellowship by medical research charity Wellcome Trust.

The funding will allow full genome screening of patients with birth eye defects in order to identify the genetic cause of their condition and help provide accurate genetic diagnosis in the future.

Stem cells derived from patients’ skin will be used to grow a 3D model of a human eye to investigate genes that cause ocular maldevelopment.

Gene editing technology will then correct the defective gene to see if the cells can grow into healthy eyes, paving the way for targeted drug and gene therapies to one day be used as a prenatal therapy.