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The Macular Degeneration Foundation Research Grants Program 2012

The Macular Degeneration Foundation Research Grant 2012 will fund two major research projects that aim to reduce the impact and/or incidence of Macular Degeneration.

The successful grant applicants were:

Title: Comparison of the risk factor, quality of life and utility value profile of a large Age-related Macular Degeneration patient sample with a population-based cohort

BIOGRAPHY Professor Paul Mitchell, MBBS, MD, PhD, FRANZCO, FRACS, FRCOphth, FAFPHM, is Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology & Eye Health, Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney. Professor Paul Mitchell is a world renowned medical retinal specialist and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Sydney, and Director of Ophthalmology for the Sydney West Area Health Service. His clinical work focuses on the management of AMD, diabetic and other vascular retinopathies and on systemic diseases and their effects on the eye. His research has targeted the epidemiology of eye disease and clinical aspects of retinal diseases. Professor Mitchell has made significant contributions in the fields of public health and ophthalmic epidemiology via the landmark Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES), the first large Australian population-based study of age-related eye disease, already yielding almost 300 international publications including in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The study examined prevalence, incidence, risk factors and impacts of the key causes of vision loss, vascular events, hearing, nutrition and other findings of systemic-ocular links, and key impacts of visual impairment on independent living and quality of life.

THE RESEARCH
The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the risk factor profile of people who are seeking treatment for late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This will build on the invaluable data obtained from Professor Mitchell's landmark Blue Mountains Eye Study. Using an innovative approach, the study will assess the impact of AMD on quality of life, identify the prevalence of AMD-specific genes and determine the primary barriers to accessing treatment. Importantly, this study will shed new light on the link between modifiable risk factors (e.g. nutrition, body weight and smoking) and non-modifiable factors (e.g. genetic predisposition). A key outcome of the research will be an enhanced capacity for early identification of people at a high risk of disease progression. People at higher risk will be better equipped to modify their lifestyle in order to slow the progression of their disease and improve their quality of life.

Title: Improved characterisation of high-risk phenotypes in early AMD, employing novel imaging and functional modalities.

BIOGRAPHY Prof Robyn Guymer, MBBS, PhD, FRANZCO, is Head of the Macular Research Unit at Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne. Professor Guymer, a retinal specialist, leads the Macular Research Unit at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA). Following her PhD at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research she undertook ophthalmology training in Melbourne, and then completed a two-year medical retinal fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London under Professor Alan Bird. Professor Guymer initiated the genetic study of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at CERA in 1997 and established the McComas molecular genetics laboratory. Her research team conducts clinical trials into the treatment of AMD and epidemiological studies into its risk factors, and has been responsible for introducing new treatments and investigative tools into clinical practice. She is also CERA's lead investigator on the bionic eye project. For this project, CERA is collaborating with researchers at the Moran Centre for Translational Medicine in the United States; led by Professor Gregory Hageman. Professor Hageman is renowned for his seminal research leading to the discovery of the role of the complement system in the etiology of MD. The Foundation is proud to support this international collaboration between internationally respected researchers.

THE RESEARCH
Despite the high prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in our community, it is still difficult for clinicians to accurately identify AMD in its earliest stages before symptoms occur. It is also difficult to predict who is most likely to progress to the more debilitating forms of the disease. This project aims to develop and validate a suite of novel, state-of-the-art imaging and functional techniques to better describe early AMD. As a result of this research, people at high risk of progression can be monitored more closely. They can also be managed proactively with diet and lifestyle modifications and other treatments where appropriate - to ward off vision-threatening complications. Other studies into AMD may also be accelerated by enabling better targeting of suitable research participants – those at high risk of progression.

Blackmores Dr Paul Beaumont Research Fellowship 2012

The Blackmores Dr Paul Beaumont Research Fellowship 2012 is funding research into nutritional and/or lifestyle aspects of Macular Degeneration, in recognition of the extraordinary work performed by the Foundation's Founding Director, Dr Paul Beaumont. The Foundation will provide a research fellowship of AU$40,000 for 12 months. It is a requirement that the Blackmores Dr Paul Beaumont Research Fellows will be matched or bettered by the Applicant's host institution.

The successful grant applicant was:

Title: Dietary patterns and risk of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

BIOGRAPHY Dr Robman, MBBS PhD, is a Senior Research Fellow in the Macular Research Unit, Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne. Dr Robman received her degree in Medicine and her first PhD (Ophthalmic Surgery) in the Soviet Union, and second PhD (Ophthalmic Epidemiology) at The University of Melbourne, Australia. Dr Robman has worked for over 15 years in AMD research, specifically investigating the risk factors for AMD and its progression. She has played key roles in a number of randomised controlled trials on AMD. She has trained CERA staff to conduct eye imaging and has led and supervised AMD grading teams in a number of studies.

THE RESEARCH
Previous research has found strong associations between particular foods and risk of AMD, yet it can be difficult for people to follow very strict dietary guidelines.
This study will identify the associations between broader dietary patterns and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by mining data from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, the largest single cohort study in the world. It will also analyse lifestyle habits and genetic predisposition in relation to AMD risk. The ethnic diversity (Greek, Italian and Anglo-Saxon), wide ranges of diet and the very large sample size provide a unique opportunity to investigate these associations. By conducting this large-scale dietary pattern, lifestyle and genetic analyses, more specific advice on how to modify individual risk of AMD progression will be possible.