Ahearne Lab - Ocular bioengineering and regeneration

Blindness resulting from disease, physical injury or chemical burns affects millions worldwide and has a considerable economic and social impact on the lives of many people. The ocular bioengineering and regeneration group led by Prof Mark Ahearne are developing novel approaches to restoring vision by using a combination of tissue engineering, advanced biomaterials and stem cell technologies. Our current research is primarily focused on investigating new techniques to treat corneal blindness. Specific studies have examined the role of biochemical cues and extracellular matrix stiffness on modulating corneal cell behaviour, the fabrication of decellularized scaffolds and matrix derived hydrogels for use as biomimetic implants and the application of adipose derived stem cells for cornea repair. The group is supported by funding from European Research Council (ERC), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Marie-Curie Actions and European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) to undertake this research.