Thank you to Denize Atan

Dear Members,

We wanted to say thank to Denize Atan, who has decided to step down from her role as co-president of the UK Eye Genetics Group after 5 years.

She worked closely with myself and the team to introduce quarterly webinars during the pandemic, improve the organisation, and hosted the annual meeting in Bristol in 2022. On behalf of the executive and all the members, we are very grateful for her contribution.

I will be continuing as sole president as we have some important administrative changes to the secure the status of the group in progress. I look forward to welcoming you to Liverpool with our host Dr Neeru Vallabh on the 10th June for our annual meeting.

To register, please follow this link: https://ukegg.com/annual-meeting-liverpool-2024/#register

Kind regards
Mariya

Professor Mariya Moosajee
President of UK Eye Genetics Group

Invitation to Contribute... Women’s Research in Ophthalmology

Dear UKEGG Members,

We hope this email finds you well. I am writing to invite you to contribute to a Special Collection entitled "Women’s Research in Ophthalmology" in collaboration with Dr. Bethany Higgins and Dr. Liza Sharmini Ahmad Tajudin.

As part of our commitment to spotlighting the critical role of women in research and scientific endeavors, particularly in underrepresented areas, we are seeking contributions that showcase the latest research, discoveries, and perspectives of women in the field of ophthalmology.

The collection will cover a range of key domains, including genetics and gene therapy, clinical developments, gender disparities, diversity and inclusion, pharmacological agents, regenerative medicine, immunomodulatory therapies, surgical innovations, personalised medicine, neuroprotective strategies, and targeting angiogenesis in retinal diseases.

Each manuscript within this Special Collection proudly features at least one female researcher in a leading role as the corresponding author, emphasising our dedication to supporting and promoting women's voices in science.

If you are interested in contributing to this important initiative, you can find further information here: https://journals.sagepub.com/topic/collections-oed/oed-1_therapeutic_advances_in_ophthalmology?journalCode=oed

Thank you for considering this invitation, and we look forward to your participation in advancing and promoting women in the field of ophthalmology.

Best regards,

Mariya Moosajee

Professor Mariya Moosajee
MBBS BSc PhD FRCOphth

Professor of Molecular Ophthalmology,
Consultant Ophthalmologist and
Genetics Service Lead at Moorfields Eye Hospital, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and The Francis Crick Institute

We would like to introduce Kirk Stephenson who has joined the UK-EGG Team as our Social Media Representative.

Kirk Stephenson is a Clinical Ophthalmologist currently finishing a 2-year medical and surgical Retina Fellowship at the University of British Columbia. Kirk graduated from University College Dubin School of Medicine (MBBChBAO) and has since completed a research MD entitled ‘Inherited Retinal Degenerations: Development of an Irish Strategy for Diagnosis and Management’ at UCD and an MSc in Genomic Medicine through the University of South Wales. Kirk has been involved with developing the Irish Inherited Retinal Degeneration (IRD) programme (Target 5000). He is actively involved with medical student and resident education and has a keen interest in patient and public engagement, particularly in the field of retina/IRD. He is commencing an Ocular Genetics Fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto with Professor Elise Héon in July 2024. This fellowship is supported by a Foundation Fighting Blindness Career Development Grant and he will investigate PRPF31-associated retinal degeneration and a patient-reported outcome measure for children with IRD. Kirk looks forward to contributing to and promoting the mission of the UK-EGG.

Assistance Required... Eye2Gene Study Survey

Dear UK-EGG member,

We are conducting a study at UCL/Moorfields together with Oxford and Liverpool to explore the potential impact on the care pathway of AI applied to retinal imaging of people affected by inherited retinal diseases (IRDs).

We would be very grateful if you complete a survey for use within the Eye2Gene study. (this link will give you all the information about the study).

The survey can be found at the link here: https://qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_3Da7YpKP2acPHQq

The survey should take no longer than 15 minutes of your time. If anything is unclear in the survey, or you have any questions, please contact Dr Tiyi Morris tiyi.morris@ucl.ac.uk.

Sent on behalf of
CI Nikolas Pontikos, UCL , and Eye2Gene team

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join Professor Marcela Votruba’s Mitochondria and Vision Research laboratory as a part of a multidisciplinary project supported by The British Medical Association Dawkins and Strutt (2023) grant entitled: “Mitochondrial transplantation for retinal ganglion cell rescue and health in mitochondrial optic neuropathies“, at the School of Vision Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University. The successful applicant will work as part of multi-disciplinary group with an international reputation for studies into mitochondrial optic neuropathies and novel therapeutic interventions, ranging from preclinical and experimental to clinical trials supervised by clinician scientist Professor Votruba. Candidates with strong research experience and publication track records in cell and molecular biology are highly recommended to apply for this position.

Mitochondrial optic neuropathies (MON) affect at least 1 in 10,000 worldwide. They are characterised by the dysfunction of mitochondria due to defects in either nuclear or mitochondrial DNA. In MON, mitochondrial dysfunction drives visual dysfunction due to loss of RGCs, resulting in progressive and irreversible loss of vision, often starting in childhood and early adulthood. RGC degeneration is extremely hard to repair or regenerate. This leads to significant disability as loss of vision in childhood or early adult life leads to problems with mobility, employment, and independence.

This project is for a pilot study to test if mitochondrial transplantation by stem cell horizontal transfer leads to a meaningful and durable increase in mitochondrial activity in a mouse model of MON.

Please read the Job Description and Person Specification very carefully. To ensure that you demonstrate how you meet all the essential criteria in your Supporting Statement, you can use the criteria as headings to guide your application. Similarly, show how you meet as many of the desirable criteria as you can. It is unlikely that any one candidate will be able to cover all the desirable criteria as this is the position is inherently interdisciplinary. Please do not be put off if you can only meet a few of them, as you will have the opportunity to learn additional skills as part of the position.

The position is fully funded for one-year, full-time, fixed term, with an intended immediate start date. The start date is negotiable, if necessary, and will be mutually agreed upon after an offer is made.

Salary: £35,333 – £42,155 per annum (Grade 6)

Please note that it is not expected that we will appoint above grade 6.30.

For informal enquires please contact Professor Marcela Votruba: votrubam@cf.ac.uk

Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.