The University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmology’s ocular stem cell and regeneration research program, CellSight, was awarded the top two prizes in the National Eye Institute’s 3D Retinal Organoid Challenge (NEI 3D ROC). The NEI, part of the National Institutes of Health, launched the three-phase challenge in 2017 to stimulate research using retina organoids. These organoids are similar to human retinas but are grown in a lab from stem cells, enabling researchers to study eye diseases and treatments noninvasively.
A team led by Maria Natalia Vergara, Ph.D., Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado is awarded $60,000 for developing an organoid derived from stem cells engineered to fluoresce which allows the organoid to demonstrate the cellular composition more clearly and efficiently. This advancement allows for improved organoid differentiation that can be used to screen and validate drugs more readily.
Vietnam veteran, J.D. Hill, was losing sight in his left eye. His Army doctors in Colorado Springs were stumped and sent him to Prem Subramanian, MD, PhD, a fellow veteran, who saved Hill’s sight.
Valeria Canto-Soler, PhD, joins Ophthalmology and Gates Center for Regenerative Medicineas the Doni Solich Family Endowed Chair in Ocular Stem Cell Research to develop cell-based treatments.
Drs. Elliff and Buchanan honored with Distinguished Achievement Award for a combined 50 years of providing care in northeastern Colorado, where access to health care has been limited.