Fighting Blindness

Annual General Meeting

October 2nd 2009

Introduction

• Dr Patrick Corley

• Assistant Director of Research with Fighting Blindness

• Scientist with 11 years laboratory and research training & experience; not a medical doctor

• 10 years experience of research grant management.

• Disclosure: No financial or other interests related to presentation topic

Email: patrick.corley@fightingblindness.ie

Our Vision & Mission

• OUR VISION - A world where all sight loss can be prevented or cured.

• OUR MISSION - Fighting Blindness will find treatments and cures for sight loss through world-leading research, while providing support to all those affected.

- Research -

For unmet medical needs

Today's talk• Different to national programme of talks that

Fighting Blindness given, Cork, Galway & Dublin

• Intend to role these out to other centres in the coming months, Sligo, Waterford, Midlands etc

• These are detailed talks, on particular research areas, along with medical updates.

• Today talk Brief Overview & View of the future

Research Grants we are funding

• 16 research grants at different stages of completion

• University College Cork

• University College Dublin

• University College Galway

• Trinity College Dublin

• Waterford Institute of Technology

• Dublin Institute of Technology

• University College London / Moorfield’s Eye Hospital

So this shows we have a lot of activity / work……

Therefore What do we do

Now / Next ?

Set Goals to Achieve

A Research Strategy

How our Research Strategy Emerged

Discussion & Approval

Define our Strategic Goals

What are our selected Strategic goals?

1 To lead and drive biomedical research to prevent, treat or cure blindness

2 To increase the amount of funding for dedicated vision research in Ireland

3 To engage and collaborate with leaders in the vision medical and scientific research community

4 To steward, support and advocate for the systematic gathering of relevant patient information for research and planning.

5 To increase the numbers of Irish patients availing of the latest treatments and therapies by advocating for and supporting the development clinical trialsinfrastructure in Ireland.

6 To raise the National and International Profile of Vision Research

1) To lead and drive biomedical research to prevent, treat or cure blindness

1 Gene Therapy

2 Stem Cell Technology

3 Retina Implant Technology

4 Novel Drug Therapies

5 Population Studies

6 Clinical trials

1 Priorities

• Gene Therapy

• Targets• To carry out gene therapy clinical trials arising from our

funded research within 3 years

• Stem Cell Technology

• Targets• Develop a high profile team of leading stem cell

researchers

• Develop biological products from stem cells to help repair or stabilise damaged retina

• To increase the number of stem cell researchers working on retinal disorders in Ireland.

2) To increase the amount of funding for dedicated vision research in Ireland

• Targets• Maintain the profile of Vision research nationally and

internationally

• Capitalise and take advantage of funding initiatives aimed at ageing

• Create international programmes to up-skill and introduce skills to Ireland

• Maintain profile of blindness research distinct from neurodegenerative research

3) To engage and collaborate with leaders in the vision medical andscientific research arena

• Actions• Review, assess and support Networking activities e.g. All Ireland Retina Research

Network (AIRRN) and Irish Network of Neural Stem cell Investigators (INNSI).

• Enhance linkages with European Vision Institute, EuroVisionNet, Tubingen, Retina International, ARVO etc.

• Explore collaborations and professional linkages with sister organisations in the US and Globally

4) To steward, support and advocate the systematic gathering of relevant patient information for research and planning

• Targets• Steward, support and advocate for coordinated

patient registries and population studies of blindness in Ireland

• Support biobanking and gene banking initiatives

• Develop population research into blinding conditions

5) To increase the numbers of Irish patients availing of the latest treatments and therapies by developing infrastructure for clinical trials in Ireland

• Targets:• Support the development of European Vision

Institute centres of excellence for Clinical trials at national ophthalmology centres.

• Foster Ophthalmic Clinical Research Network

• Co-ordinate retinal patient registries in Ireland

6) To raise the National and International profile of Vision Research

Vision Research Institute

Vision Research Institute – Virtual & Actual – Inclusive Model

Key advantages of the Vision Research Institute

• To unify our research portfolio across all organizations / institutes and better co-ordinate their activities

• To accelerate the gathering and application of patient-relevant scientific knowledge by commissioning dedicated and strategic research.

• To employ our own teams of dedicated medical, scientific and paramedical researchers committed to careers in vision research, and to lead global developments in this field.

• To claim visible ownership and credit for research achievements, to attract further support for work

• To provide a visible hub for Vision Research in Ireland, just as REMEDI has done for stem cell research

• To leverage the direct funding invested by Fighting Blindness by winning significant and sustained external research funding.

Lens-ing Effect / Concentrating

Fighting Blindness

Vision Research Institute

Thank you !