Year 5

During the fifth year of this CIRM grant, we have been focussed on two gaols: how to stop the cells at the back of the eye essential in supporting heathy vision, the retinal pigmented epithelial cells (RPE), from “ageing” and undergoing changes which reduce there capacity to heal and report on the two patients with age-related macular degeneration which underwent an implant of RPE cells, 12 months ago, made from stem cells. We have identified two components which appear to rejuvenate RPE. The 12month clinical outcome shows successful delivery, survival and function of the hESC-derived-RPE with evidence of visual recovery.