SUMMARY
Researchers at UCLA have developed a novel technique to detect ocular diseases.
BACKGROUND
The ophthalmic device market is expected to grow to $58.44 billion by 2023. Diseases of the eye often stem from perturbations in the homeostatic rate of cell turnover, and the process by which cell death occurs may affect cellular response of surrounding cells and induce premature incidence. Current diagnostic practices for these diseases are limited to relying on patient response and technologies with low sensitivity. These detection constraints delay diagnosis and prevent accurate tracking of disease progression.
INNOVATION
Kwong and colleagues have developed an innovative method to diagnose and chart the progression of ocular diseases by live, in vivo imaging. Molecular factors involved in cell death are labeled locally and monitored using state-of-the-art non-invasive imaging techniques. The improved tracking ability enables closer monitoring of response to therapy and increased understanding of disease towards improved therapeutics.
APPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES
STATE OF DEVELOPMENT
This technique has been validated in experimental models.