Retina cell breakthrough could help treat blindness
Scientists harness nanotechnology to help tackle a common cause of sight loss
Peer-Reviewed PublicationScientists have found a way to use nanotechnology to create a 3D ‘scaffold’ to grow cells from the retina –paving the way for potential new ways of treating a common cause of blindness.
Researchers, led by Professor Barbara Pierscionek from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), have been working on a way to successfully grow retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells that stay healthy and viable for up to 150 days. RPE cells sit just outside the neural part of the retina and, when damaged, can cause vision to deteriorate.
It is the first time this technology, called ‘electrospinning’, has been used to create a scaffold on which the RPE cells could grow, and could revolutionise treatment for one of age-related macular degeneration, one of the world’s most common vision complaints.
When the scaffold is treated with a steroid called fluocinolone acetonide, which protects against inflammation, the resilience of the cells appears to increase, promoting growth of eye cells. These findings are important in the future development of ocular tissue for transplantation into the patient’s eye.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in the developed world and is expected to increase in the coming years due to an ageing population. Recent research predicted that 77 million people in Europe alone will have some form of AMD by 2050.
AMD can be caused by changes in the Bruch’s membrane, which supports the RPE cells, and breakdown of the choriocapillaris, the rich vascular bed that is adjacent to the other side of the Bruch’s membrane.
In Western populations, the most common way sight deteriorates is due to an accumulation of lipid deposits called drusen, and the subsequent degeneration of parts of the RPE, the choriocapillaris and outer retina. In the developing world, AMD tends to be caused by abnormal blood vessel growth in the choroid and their subsequent movement into the RPE cells, leading to haemorrhaging, RPE or retinal detachment and scar formation.
The replacement of the RPE cells is among several promising therapeutic options for effective treatment of sight conditions like AMD, and researchers have been working on efficient ways to transplant these cells into the eye.
Lead author Professor Barbara Pierscionek, Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) said: “This research has demonstrated, for the first time, that nanofibre scaffolds treated with the anti-inflammatory substance such as fluocinolone acetonide can enhance the growth, differentiation, and functionality of RPE cells.
“In the past, scientists would grow cells on a flat surface, which is not biologically relevant. Using these new techniques. the cell line has been shown to thrive in the 3D environment provided by the scaffolds.
“This system shows great potential for development as a substitute Bruch’s membrane, providing a synthetic, non-toxic, biostable support for transplantation of the retinal pigment epithelial cells. Pathological changes in this membrane have been identified as a cause of eye diseases such as AMD, making this an exciting breakthrough that could potentially help millions of people worldwide.”
The peer-reviewed, open-access research has been published in the journal Materials & Design and can be read here.
JOURNAL
Materials
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Experimental study
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
Cells
ARTICLE TITLE
Retinal pigment epithelial cells can be cultured on fluocinolone acetonide treated nanofibrous scaffold
New app developed at NYU Tandon School of Engineering promises to make navigating subway stations easier for people with blindness and low vision
IMAGE: IMAGE OF SUBWAY STATION view more
CREDIT: NYU TANDON USE
A new trip-planning app has shown encouraging results in improving navigation inside subway stations, according to a study published in IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine, promising the possibility of easier commutes for people who are blind and low-vision.
Designed by researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Commute Booster routes public-transportation users through the “middle mile” – the part of a journey inside subway stations or other similar transit hubs – in addition to the “first” and “last” miles that bring travelers to and from those hubs.
“The ‘middle mile’ often involves negotiating a complex network of underground corridors, ticket booths and subway platforms. It can be treacherous for people who cannot rely on sight,” said John-Ross Rizzo, MD, who led the research team that includes advisors from New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Rizzo is an associate professor in NYU Tandon’s Biomedical Engineering department and is on the faculty of NYU Grossman. “Most GPS-enabled navigation apps address ‘first’ and ‘last’ miles only, so they fall short of meeting the needs of blind or low-vision commuters. Commute Booster is meant to fill that gap.”
Subway signs are typically graphical or text-based, creating challenges for the visually impaired to recognize from distances and reducing their ability to be autonomous in unfamiliar environments.
Commute Booster automatically figures out what signs a traveler will encounter along the way to a specific subway platform. Then, it uses a smartphone’s camera to recognize and interpret signs posted inside transit hubs, ignoring irrelevant ones and prompting users to follow relevant ones only.
In the recent study, researchers tested Commute Booster’s interpretation of signage from three New York City subway stations – Jay Street-Metrotech, Dekalb Avenue and Canal Street – that a traveler would encounter on a specific journey. The app proved 97 percent accurate in identifying signs relevant to reach the intended destination.
Testing inside those three subway stations also revealed that Commute Booster could “read” signs from distances and at angles that reflect expected physical positioning of travelers.
The Commute Booster system relies on two technological components. The first, general transit feed specification (GTFS), is a standardized way for public transportation agencies to share their transit data with developers and third-party applications. The second, optical character recognition (OCR), is technology that can translate images of text into actual editable text.
The GTFS dataset contains descriptions for locations and pathways within each subway station. Commute Booster’s algorithm uses this information to generate a comprehensive list of wayfinding signage within subway stations that users would encounter during their intended journey. The OCR functionality reads all texts presented to users in their immediate surroundings. Commute Booster’s algorithm can identify relevant navigation signs and locate the position of signs in the immediate environments. By integrating these two components, Commute Booster provides real-time feedback to users regarding the presence or absence of relevant navigation signs within the field of view of their phone camera during their journey.
Researchers plan to conduct a human subject study of Commute Booster in the near future. The app could be available for public use in the near term.
Rizzo, who was named to MTA’s board in June 2023, has a long track record of research that applies engineering solutions to challenges faced by people with disabilities, particularly those with visual disability .
In addition to Rizzo, the team involved in the Commute Booster study are NYU Tandon PhD candidate Junchi Feng; Physician-Scientist at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation Mahya Beheshti; MTA Senior Innovation Strategist Mira Philipson; MTA Senior Accessibility Officer Yuvraj Ramsaywack; and NYU Tandon Institute Professor Maurizio Porfiri.
About the New York University Tandon School of Engineering
The NYU Tandon School of Engineering is home to a community of renowned faculty, undergraduate and graduate students united in a mission to understand and create technology that powers cities, enables worldwide communication, fights climate change, and builds healthier, safer, and more equitable real and digital worlds. The school’s culture centers on encouraging rigorous, interdisciplinary collaboration and research; fostering inclusivity, entrepreneurial thinking, and diverse perspectives; and creating innovative and accessible pathways for lifelong learning in STEM. NYU Tandon dates back to 1854, the founding year of both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. Located in the heart of Brooklyn, NYU Tandon is a vital part of New York University and its unparalleled global network. For more information, visit engineering.nyu.edu.
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