A new understanding of age-related macular degeneration | Joshua Chu-Tan | TEDxChristchurch

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world—and it has no cure. But recent advances in genetics have allowed a team of researchers in Australia to identify a kind of microRNA that could offer answers. In this fascinating talk, Dr Josh Chu-Tan explains the science behind their work, and shows how a new approach might unlock results that would otherwise be impossible. Joshua Chu-Tan is a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer in medical physiology and neuroscience at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.

Josh’s research at the ANU’s John Curtin School of Medical Research focuses on the role of microRNA and their potential use as novel gene therapeutics for progressive retinal degenerations, with a specific focus on age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. His work in the field has been published in top-ranked ophthalmology and vision science journals and he also served as intern editor, blog writer, and advisor at world-leading academic publishing company, Springer Nature.

[nakiyapardawala]

i am 23yrs old and i have been diagnosed with AMD....its so sad and depressing to imagine i might lose my vision in coming years... Researches and Doctors like you are my ONLY HOPE.
PLEASE COME UP WITH A I

[caiusgenerkabigting]

It is nice to see this video, it gives me hope positively. I was diagnose with a stargardts disease which likely the same as macular degeneration since i was 18 yrs old and now i am 41 yrs old waiting and hoping for a cure.this research can help and save millions of people suffering of this disease. Hoping for the success and God bless

[mpgurung]

This is indeed a magnificent talk with light at end of tunnel. Though AMD (wet) can be treated to some extent dry ones are quite far from being treated. I guess anti-VEGF as extremely short lived (I am not a med by any dimension/knowledge) in terms of efficient life making the patient to perpetually injected. MicroRNA as such can be a blessing in future.
Keep up the hard work, expand and share the knowledge, Josh you are a legend

[twinkletoes]

So much technology and research these days but the biggest problem is is everybody is so compartmentalized there is information that would be vital to this study considering autophagy when there’s a build up of damaged or disease cells instead of injecting 124MIR, when most naturally induce autophagy from fasting to clean up the cells in one’s body so to speak. There are many waysTo cross the finish line. The question is which is least invasive least financially physically and economic toll it takes on our planet.

[nancythomas-wardm.b.a]

How can we follow this young scientist??

[clipsburg]

Anyone heard of any progress on this treatment? It's been 3 years now I wonder if it's being trialed on humans yet.

[lydiastanford]

Hearing. I can still listen, learn, if I was blind

[maarten_zappos]

Damn he really went hard with the cheesy remarks and analogies but happy to hear about the progress

[Geekosification]

The problem is, that we are not 100 % sure why AMD happends. And before that, we can't have a perfect cure.

[immigrantworld]

I am color blindness, strong protan since birth. I’ve never experinced full colors since birth and waited the gene therapy since monkeys trial in 2009. I couldn’t cook well, see the sunset, trafic light, match the dress, get dream jobs, and etc. I am fully disable honestly althogh it is not threatining condition. But most scientists dont understand how broken I am. They would rather find the cure of AMD and RP than CVD. In Indonesia said “sampai kapan ini berakhir ya Yesus?” Or in english “till when it will end oh JESUS?” I want to be cured like You ever did for blind people in Yerikho.

[everythingmatters]

"We supplemented 124 to animals that had undergone retinal damage." Gee, I wonder how their retinal damage happened and how you knew. Did you do it to rabbits? Beagles? Chimps?