Retina Australia has announced the recipients of its 2026 research grants, funding two projects that aim to advance potential new treatments for inherited retinal diseases.
Associate Professor Raymond Wong, from the Centre for Eye Research Australia and University of Melbourne, has received $60,000 for his project, ‘Development of epigenetic reprogramming technology to treat retinal degeneration’.
Associate Professor Mohit Shivdasani, from the University of New South Wales, has been awarded $57,912 for the project, ‘Selective Activation of Retinal Bipolar Cells Using Freeform Electrical Stimulation’.
Both projects will investigate innovative pathways that could ultimately help prevent or reverse vision loss in people living with retinal degenerative conditions.
Epigenetic ‘rejuvenation’ as a pathway to treatment
A/Prof Wong’s project aims to create a new method to “rejuvenate” retinal cells using epigenetic reprogramming. This is an emerging approach that alters specific DNA tags to return cells to a younger, more resilient state.
Recent studies have shown that applying epigenetic factors can help cells protect themselves from disease and injury. This project will test whether that same strategy can be developed into a gene therapy to stop vision loss in conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa.
The research team will assess the therapeutic potential of epigenetic reprogramming in the retina using a clinically approved gene-delivery method involving viruses, maximising the potential for future clinical translation.
Two key experiments will be undertaken:
- In laboratory dishes, researchers will test whether epigenetic factors can “reset” retinal cells and return them to a younger state.
- In a rodent model of retinal degeneration, the team will examine whether these factors can prevent vision loss.
If successful, the project will deliver the first proof-of-concept evidence that epigenetic reprogramming can rejuvenate the retina and generate critical preclinical data for developing a novel gene therapy to prevent blindness caused by photoreceptor loss.
New electrical stimulation method targets bipolar cells
A/Prof Shivdasani’s project focuses on freeform electrical stimulation – a new approach designed to restore vision by activating bipolar cells rather than retinal ganglion cells, which current technologies typically target.
Because bipolar cells play a crucial role in processing visual information, stimulating them directly may result in clearer, more natural vision.
Researchers will combine laboratory work with detailed computer simulations. In the lab, they will observe how individual retinal cells respond to specially shaped electrical signals. At the same time, a virtual model of the human retina will be used to explore how different layers react to this stimulation.
This dual approach aims to identify the safest and most effective methods for activating bipolar cells, even in eyes already affected by disease.
By project’s end, the team expects to have robust evidence from both lab-based testing and simulations demonstrating how these cells can be controlled to improve vision. They will also assess how well the technique works at various stages of vision loss and ensure it does not damage the eye.
The findings could lay the groundwork for next-generation vision-restoration devices for conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, offering the potential for sharper, more natural sight and the ability to recognise faces, read and navigate with confidence.
