First eye patient receives synthetic cornea
For the first time in Utrecht, a synthetic cornea was transplanted into a patient with a complex eye condition. The artificial cornea is an interesting alternative due to the donor shortage, and is a prelude to regenerative corneal transplants with cultured cells.
‘With my research, I am pushing for these types of implants to become regenerative. That means they will also contain cells and thus actually repair the cornea. The current synthetic implant can be a prelude to that, because this kind of material can also be the carrier of those cells,’ said UMC Utrecht professor of ophthalmology Mor Dickman, who recently performed the transplant with the synthetic cornea.
Major shortage of donor corneas
About 2,000 cornea transplants take place in the Netherlands every year, making it the most frequently performed transplant. Many of the recipients of such a transplant are elderly people, but younger patients and children also sometimes receive a cornea. Unfortunately, there is a huge shortage of donor corneas: there is about 1 donor for every 70 patients.
Corneal transplantation at UMC Utrecht.
An alternative graft
Because of the donor shortage, there is a great drive to find alternatives. It is the personal motivation of Professor of Ophthalmology Mor Dickman, who is now placing a synthetic corneal transplant in Utrecht for the first time. ‘This implant is made of a kind of contact lens material,’ he explains. ‘In this case, it replaces the inner part of the cornea.’
In the Netherlands, this technique is particularly interesting for patients with a high risk of rejection or graft failure. Mor: ‘These include patients with multiple previous transplants, a history of rejection, or after glaucoma surgery where small tubes are placed in the eye. There are also patients who do not want to receive donor tissue for cultural or religious reasons, and then this can be an alternative.’
Towards regenerative treatment
The synthetic implant was developed by a company, Eye-Yon. ‘Currently, we only apply this technique to the most complex cases,’ says Mor. ‘With further refinement and development, this technique could be a solution for a wider patient group in the future.’ An additional advantage is that a synthetic implant presents much less logistical challenges than a donated cornea.
In the further future, Mor sees other developments ahead. ‘With my research, I am pushing for these kinds of implants to become regenerative. That means they will also contain cells and thus actually repair the cornea. The current synthetic implant can be a prelude to that, because this kind of material can also be the carrier of those cells.’
Utrecht Science Week: Art and science unite at the Betweter Festival on 25 September
From 25 September to 4 October, the Utrecht Science Park will be alive with curiosity and exploration during the annual Utrecht Science Week. For over a week, the Utrecht Science Park opens its doors to everyone interested in both applied and fundamental science. In close collaboration with various partners, a diverse programme is put together, with special focus on themes such as sustainability and health.
Record number of children from across the province of Utrecht meet researchers
A morning spent interviewing, pipetting or philosophising with researchers from Utrecht. That’s what 3,400 children from Utrecht did on the morning of Wednesday 1 April during the eleventh edition of Meet the Professor. 280 researchers from Utrecht cycled to primary schools in the city and surrounding area to show the children who they are, what they do and what sparks their curiosity. In pairs, because research is something you do together.
ALS gene discovery forms basis for treatment development
Researchers at UMC Utrecht’s ALS Center have found new genetic abnormalities that play a role in the development of ALS. As a result, the group of patients in whom the cause of the nerve and muscle disease can be pinpointed has grown from 20 to 25 percent. The finding also helps to better understand ALS and may eventually contribute to the development of targeted treatments for some of the patients.
