Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Eye hospital signs MoU with Japanese unit

Staff Reporter

Bharathidasan University would consider the possibility of starting paramedical courses in optometry in tie-up with Joseph Eye Hospital

TIRUCHI : The Institute of Ophthalmology of Joseph Eye Hospital signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for ocular cell line research collaboration with Nichi-in Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), Chennai, a unit of Nichi-in Biosciences, Japan.

The collaborative effort would benefit patients with diseased or degenerated eye tissues. Cultured ocular cells could be implanted in the degenerated eye part thereby reducing the possibility of the person losing vision entirely. The Head of Operations in India of Nichi-in, Samuel JK Abraham, said the agreement had been signed for a year for research on ocular cell lines with a special emphasis on corneal endothelial pre-cursor cells (innermost cell layer of the cornea). He said that according to the Indian Association of Ophthalmology, almost 50 per cent of the cases reported for corneal damage were owing to endothelial damage. Out of 27,000 cases registered for corneal transplant each year, only 2,400 received proper medical care owing to lack of donors.

Corneal endothelial cells from the cadaver eyes shall be taken from the Institute to isolate the pre-cursor cells through tissue culturing and engineering, to multiply them at NCRM, Dr. Samuel explained.

The Head of Microbiology at the IOJEH, Philip A. Thomas, spoke on the importance of cell therapeutics in ophthalmology. At present the specific area of work shall be to develop ocular cell lines, which could be used effectively to cure retinoblastoma. He said the research would also probe the genetic causes for eye diseases such as retinoblastoma, which could even affect children.

Ocular cell lines were easier to store in hospitals for a long time whereas eyes cannot be. Therefore a patient seeking immediate transplant need not wait for a donor to come by, but could use the ocular cells, he pointed out.

The president of the Indian Medical Association, Tamil Nadu State Branch, A. Zameer Pasha, pointed out the various obstacles that researchers face in the field of cell line study. Countries such as the US had even banned research in the field. Researchers should work undauntedly displaying high levels of integrity and ethics in their work, he said.

Delivering the presidential address, the Vice-Chancellor of Bharathidasan University, C. Thangamuthu, commented that universities were still hesitant to approach hospitals or take advantage of their facilities for research. Bharathidasan University would consider the possibility of starting paramedical courses in optometry in tie-up with Joseph Eye Hospital, he announced. The Director of the Institute, C. A. Nelson Jesudasan, M. Premanathan from NCRM, Chennai, and Assistant Professor in Microbiology at the Institute, J. Kaliamurthy, also spoke.

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