Ocular Barrier cell function in health and disease

3rd Supervisor: Ms Saaeha Rauz

We are offering an opportunity for an excellent student to participate in a cross-disciplinary research between the the Immunity and Inflammation of the Visual System and the Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, City Hospital Birmingham. The research will be based on the maintenance of immune privilege by ocular barrier cells and what goes wrong when these barriers breakdown in disease such as intermediate uveitis, Behcet’s Disease and dry eye disease. We are one of the leading centres for research on these diseases. Projects will involve genetic molecular and cellular studies investigating production of vitamin D, glucocorticoids and cytokines by primary human ocular barrier cells. These processes will be investigated using immunofluorescence, PCR, multiplex protein and gene analysis and flow cytometry.

The project would be of interest to a biomedical scientist with experience in immunology, human biology or molecular biology and an interest in understanding of human disease and inflammation. The successful candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary environment of immunologists, biologists and ophthalmologists thatt work to increase our understanding of ocular inflammation. The project offers the opportunity to study in an excellent research environment, in a research institute with world class facilities and resources devoted to understanding the molecular mechanisms of human ocular disease and driving new translational therapies for patients with sight-threatening ocular conditions.