RECOGNISED – Retinal and cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetes: unraveling the common pathways and identifying patients at risk of dementia

Principal Investigator: Dr Mariacristina Parravano
Funding Body: European Union

Financing Fee: € 97.750,00

Funding year: 2020

Duration 48 mesi (extension 12 months)

Brief description: the general concept of this project is based on the idea that the retina can be used as a window on the brain thanks to their common embryological origin. Therefore, the study of the retina in T2D patients in this project will be useful to identify not only patients at risk of developing dementia, but also different phenotypes with different degrees of cognitive decline in terms of speed and severity. Furthermore, the study of common pathogenic pathways involved in neurodegenerative processes occurring in the brain and retina will open up a new area of research with clear therapeutic implications.

Web Site: https://www.recognised.eu/

This project is funded by the research programme H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020

Macustar – iAMD – Development of novel clinical endpoints for interventional clinical trials with a regulatory and patient access intention in patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration

Principal Investigator: Dr Mariacristina Parravano
Funding Body: European Union

Loan Amount € 113,551.63

Funding Year: 2018

Duration 36 months (extension – months)

Brief description: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of severe vision loss and blindness in Europe and affects almost 30% of the elderly population. Chronic disease progresses slowly from initial AMD to intermediate AMD (iAMD) and finally to advanced AMD with severe and often irreversible central vision loss.

The objectives of Macustar are to characterize functional deficit in iAMD and to develop and validate functional, structural, and patient-reported outcome measures for iAMD.

Web site: https://www.macustar.eu/

This project is funded by the research programme iHi – innovative health initiative

Development of a new non-contact screening method and instrument for the detection of narrow ocular anterior chamber angle

Principal Investigator: Dr. Francesco Oddone
Funding Body: Velux Stiftung

Financing Fee: € 185,000.00

Funding year: 2020

Duration: 36 months (extension – 24 months)

Brief description: Primary angle-closure glaucoma, a common cause of blindness worldwide, is more common in people with “small eyes” and can be prevented with relatively simple treatments.

The evaluation of ocular structures is based on gonioscopy, an invasive and subjective examination performed by ophthalmologists specially trained in the field. The aim of the proposed project is to develop an objective, non-invasive, portable and low-cost tool for the detection of patients at high risk of angle-closure glaucoma.

Website: Not applicable

This project is funded by the research programme:Ophthalmology call for proposal