###Wearable medicated corneal patch for regeneration of damaged cornea and prevent blindness
Project ID: 2228bd1007 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Healthcare Technologies
UCL Lead department: Division of Surgery and Interventional Sciences
Lead Supervisor: Hirak Patra
Project Summary:
Corneal damage is one of the leading causes of blindness. Corneal injury can happen through ageing, infections, mechanical injury, corneal burns etc. Extended injury can induce inflammation, fibrosis, neo-vascularisation and can lead to irreversible blindness. Developing a wearable patch with sustained and prolonged drug delivery system for cornea is an unmet clinical need.
With this studentship, we would like to develop a wearable corneal patch with embedded pro-regenerative collagen and small molecule delivery system for sustained release of drugs, epidermal growth factor and nerve growth factor for accelerating corneal wound healing. The student will get training and will fabricate the patches with polymer/elastomer and pro-regenerative extracellular matrix (ECM) e.g., collagen and will develop the nanotechnology assisted sustained drug delivery system to embed. The optimised patch with appropriate mechanical and optical clarity will be tested for regeneration of cornea in an in vitro human corneal keratitis model at our laboratory. The student will get training in cutting edge technologies, research ethics, professional skills, and transferrable skills during the studentship.
The PI, Dr Patra is an expert in corneal bioengineering, nanotechnology, and regenerative medicines and will be principal supervisor of the student alongside co-supervision from Dr John Lee at the UCL Faculty of Maths & Physical Sciences and a clinical collaborator at the Royal Free Hospital (Dr Radhika Rampat, Ophthalmic Surgeon). The student will get full access and support from Dr Patra’s cornea lab unit consisting of 2 PDRA, 2 technicians alongside the PI.
The successful chemist/biochemist student will develop an easy manufacturable medicated corneal patch that will encourage better patient compliance and effective in the treatment of corneal infection, keratitis, perforation/thinning due to trauma, ectasia, and melting. The proposed wearable and flexible patch will have appropriate mechanical strength and easy customisable for children, for eyes with astigmatism and any pre-existing condition.