Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh visited UCL today to learn about cutting-edge genetics research funded by Fight for Sight into disabling eye diseases.
The visit to the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology was an opportunity for The Duchess to meet the future generation of eye health researchers.
Her Royal Highness toured the Institute's inherited corneal disease laboratory with the lab's principal investigator Professor Alice Davidson and Fight for Sight Chief Executive Keith Valentine. Professor Davidson researches conditions that affect the cornea (the transparent outer layer of the eye), some of which can contribute to vision loss or even blindness.
Professor Davidson's research focuses on the genetic origins and molecular mechanisms underlying inherited corneal diseases, in order to develop new diagnostic methods and treatments for inherited corneal disease. The most common of these diseases is Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), an age-related condition which affects up to 4.5% of people aged over 50.
Inherited corneal disease is primarily treated with surgery, but some patients require multiple corneal grafts during their lifetime. Furthermore, there is a global shortage of tissue available for such surgeries and given the age-related nature of the most common form of disease, there is pressing clinical need for alternative, less invasive preventative or disease-delaying treatments to be developed.
Professor Davidson said: "Inherited corneal diseases are collectively a common group of visually disabling conditions that are placing an increasing burden on individuals within our ageing society. My research aims to address this clinical need through advancing our knowledge of the genetic causes and mechanisms that underlie this group of conditions to enable the development of new and innovative diagnostic strategies and genetic therapies."
"I am very grateful for Her Royal Highness's interest in our work and the ongoing support of Fight for Sight."
Professor Davidson and her UCL colleagues Dr Nihar Bhattacharyya, Dr Anne-Marie Kladny, Dr Siyin Liu, Dr Christina Zarouchlioti and researchers Niuzheng Chai, Marcos Costa, and Anita Szabo demonstrated a range of laboratory techniques on the tour, including DNA isolation, amplification and sequencing methods applied to discover genetic origins of disease, alongside cutting-edge approaches to model corneal disease in a dish, while explaining how they are using these systems to develop innovative genetic therapies.
Professor Andrew Dick, director of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, said: "The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology's close collaboration with Moorfields Eye Hospital is a prime example of the integration of research into education and how clinicians and academics can work alongside one another to transform eye health. We are incredibly proud to see that The Duchess of Edinburgh is taking an interest in the cutting-edge work carried out by brilliant academics in Professor Davidson's lab."
Fight for Sight funds scientific research that advances the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of eye disease.
Keith Valentine of Fight for Sight said: "I'm delighted to show HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh around Professor Alice Davidson's labs today. Professor Davidson's journey in eye research began with us in 2015 when we awarded her an Early Investigators Award through to today where she is currently supervising two projects with Fight for Sight.
"We don't just invest in projects, we invest in people, building a vibrant community of researchers across the country, fostering collaboration and accelerating progress in eye disease research. It's an honour to show The Duchess firsthand the incredible eye research that's happening right here in the UK, and the critical role UCL's Institute plays in the research ecosystem."
HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh was the Royal Patron of Vision Foundation from 2003-2023 before it merged with Fight for Sight in 2023. To ensure Her Royal Highness' support reaches an international scale, The Duchess is Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, and through this patronage will continue to support the work of Fight for Sight.
Professor Davidson's laboratory, along with the rest of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's City Road site, is due to move in 2027 to a new integrated centre in St Pancras, Camden. Oriel* is a partnership between the university, the hospital and Moorfields Eye Charity, to create a world-leading centre for advancing eye health to deliver the highest-quality care, research and education.
