NCRM in Ophthalmology
NCRM's first collaborative work in India started in the field of Vision. After several months of interaction, preliminary research work, exchange of information and exchange visits starting from 2002, we decided to take the cause of giving a cure to blindness.
Fig.1 Anatomy of the eye
(Illustration not to proportions)
Human eye is a highly complex phenomenon, in which there are several mechanisms acting coherently to yield us the "Vision". Cornea is the transparent portion through which light rays pass in (Fig 1), which is controlled by the aperture of pupil with "Iris" and then the "Lens" focuses the incoming light signals on to the screen called "Retina" which is again one of the wonderful creations of the nature that converts the physical light into a neural signal perceivable by our higher optical centre in the brain and sends the signals through the "Optic Nerve". The vision could be jeopardized even any if one of the above components of the eye are damaged.
We have specific research projects focussing on each one of the important aspects of Vision. Corneal Epithelial Stem cells project for curing epithelium related disorders, Endothelial precursor cell related Tissue engineering work to cure endothelial diseases and Retinal Stem cells and Retinal Pigment Epithelial related cell culture work to tackle Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).
