The International Center for Translational Eye Research at the PAS Institute of Physical Chemistry
Professor Maciej Wojtkowski from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Professor Krzysztof Palczewski from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine has received financing to the tune of nearly PLN 35 million from the Foundation of Polish Science for the International Research Agendas Program. Researchers will create an International Center for Translational Eye Research (ICTER), which will deal with the dynamics and plasticity of the human eye.
Fot. Pixabay
The International Center for Translational Eye Research (ICTER) will be established as a newly-created subunit of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. The ICTER structure will rely on up to five independent research groups. The University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology in the United Kingdom will be ICTER’s international partner.
“The burden of vision loss or impairment will concern a growing number of people, as the average human life-span increases in developed countries. This escalating concern has been acknowledged on a global scale by such organizations as the World Health Organization or the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB),” said Professor Maciej Wojtkowski.
Vision consists of a complex and multi-staged process, which has already been well explored, mainly through major advancements in genetics, proteomics or imaging techniques. Nonetheless, the aetiology of many eye diseases, including especially retinal disorders, has remained fairly unknown. In order to unravel this mystery, it appears indispensable to thoroughly understand the complex cellular mechanisms responsible for the proper functioning of the retina, and to clarify the impact of various molecules on the occurrence of degenerative changes within that tissue. That is the intent of the founders of ICTER. The International Center for Translational Eye Research is a multidisciplinary initiative. ICTER will integrate research in the fields of applied optics, high technology, engineering, chemistry, biophysics, biology and medicine.
The International Center for Translational Eye Research is a multidisciplinary initiative. The center will integrate research in the field of applied optics, new technologies, engineering, chemistry, biophysics, biology and medicine. Co-financing under the IRA program has been granted for a period of 5 years.
Source: Foundation of Polish Science
