MEC_Impact Report_2026 - Flipbook - Page 11
Be the leading charity for eye health research
Working at the forefront of
Professor MacDonald noted:
this emerging field, Ola is
investigating how the retina
Without Moorfields
develops and changes over
Eye Charity, we would be
time. She said:
significantly further behind in
our discoveries for eventual
No one actually knows
when the retinal cells first
treatments for age-related
eye disease.
come together during
development – most of the
research done so far focuses
on the ageing of the killifish,
Professor Ryan MacDonald presenting Ola’s work
so we are the first ones to
look at this.
New methods and novel treatments
Meanwhile, a Moorfields Eye
Charity Insight Fund PhD
studentship is supporting
Mengmeng Dong in Professor
Christiana Ruhrberg’s
laboratory to investigate how
damaged blood vessels in the
retina can be repaired
and regenerated.
Retinal vascular diseases,
including diabetic retinopathy
and wet age-related macular
degeneration, are leading
causes of sight loss. While
current treatments can reduce
leakage from damaged blood
vessels, they cannot restore
Mengmeng Dong preparing slides
retinal blood supply when
vessels have been damaged.
as a global centre of excellence
Mengmeng’s research is
for eye research.
exploring the biological
mechanisms that could
Building on this commitment,
stimulate blood vessel repair
the charity has expanded
and regeneration, laying
its studentships from three
the foundations for future
years to up to four years of
treatments.
funding. Students will also
benefit from an increased
Alongside advancing
PhD stipend, in line with the
knowledge, PhD studentships
London Living Wage.
help train the next generation
of scientific leaders and
This investment reflects
strengthen the UK’s position
the charity’s commitment
to attracting and nurturing
exceptional researchers,
giving them the time,
resources and support needed
to tackle some of the biggest
challenges in eye health.
We would like to thank our
donors and supporters, whose
contributions have enabled
us to expand our investment
in the next generation of
research talent.
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