Glasgow Caledonian University
PhD Research Project Opportunity
Please note that as this project is not funded by a University studentship, the successful candidate will be
required to source external funding for the research degree fees and living expenses while studying at the
university.
Project Reference number
School/Institute/Research Group
2014SHLS002
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School of Health and Life Science
Institute of Applied Health Research
Applied Vision Research
Research Discipline areas
cholesterol, age related macular degeneration, therapy
Research Theme
Visual Neuroscience, retinal degeneration
Project Title
The functional role of cholesterol trafficking in the pathogenesis of age
related macular degeneration
Research Project Area
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the commonest cause of blind
registration in the developed world. Early AMD is characterized by drusen
formation and pigmentary changes. Late AMD is characterized by Geographic
atrophy and/or choroidal neovascularisation. An important pathological
feature of AMD is the accumulation of both focal (drusen) and diffuse
extracellular (basal) deposits in the macula, between the retinal pigment
epithelium (RPE) and the adjacent Bruch's membrane. These deposits lead to
dysfunction and later death of RPE and associated photoreceptors.
Histopathological analyses of AMD patients’ eyes have demonstrated the
appearance of apolipoproteins, cholesterol and cholesteryl ester deposits
underneath RPE, suggesting abnormal cholesterol transport in disease
progression. Recent genome wide association studies have also showed the
hepatic lipase C (LIPC) and cholesterylester transfer protein (CETP), key genes
involved in the metabolism of triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins
(HDL), were implicated in the pathogenesis of AMD.
In this project we plan to investigate the functional role of effective
cholesterol efflux in the pathogenesis of AMD and to develop small molecules
to reverse the accumulation of cholesterol within RPE and choroidal
endothelial cells, which will help to treat the early stages of AMD.
Supervisory Team
Staff Contact
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Dr Xinhua Shu (Director of Studies, Visual Neuroscience Research
Group)
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Professor Ann Graham (Diabetes Research Group)
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Dr Xinhua Shu, Xinhua.Shu@gcu.ac.uk