Michele Madigan

RESEARCH

My research program is primarily directed at exploring and understanding the cell biology of human eye diseases in the context of normal human development and ageing. The challenge is to provide innovative approaches for human-tissue based ocular cell biology and the research program has evolved with changes in our understanding of disease pathogenesis, remaining uniquely human-tissue based.

Three main areas currently define my research program:

1. Understanding the microenvironment of primary ocular tumours, especially melanoma, and developing novel approaches for eye melanoma therapy. This includes studying normal human melanocytes (see image) (current PhD project).

2. Studying the normal ageing human retina and choroid, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in those aged over 50 yrs.

3. Investigating the underlying pathogenesis of keratoconus (KC), a human corneal degeneration that is the major cause for corneal grafts.

We am currently funded for these research areas with grants from NH&MRC, Sydney Foundation for Medical Research (re-named National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation in 2014) and the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia (ORIA), with well-established national and international collaborations in these areas.

  2014 NH&MRC  “The role of redox-related post - translational changes of complement factor H (CFH) in age-related macular degeneration”  S Krilis, B Giannakopoulos, MC Madigan

  2013 NH&MRC “Role of complement in retinal degeneration” K Volter, JM Provis, P Gatenby, MC Madigan

TEACHING

* involved in undergraduate courses VISN2111 Ocular Anatomy & Physiology (convenor), OPTM3231 Ocular Diseases and OPTM5251 Ocular Therapeutics and OPTM4291 Optometry, Medicine & Patient Management

* supervise students involved in MOptometry Coursework Research projects (OPTM7108 and 7308)

OTHER AFFILIATIONS

Clinical Associate Professor (Honorary), Discipline of Ophthalmology, Save Sight Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney

Visiting Fellow, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University

AWARDS

2013 Faculty of Science University of NSW Staff Excellence Award (Best Lecturer as voted by Students)

Research Groups

• Ocular Surface Research (Inc. Dry Eye and Contact Lenses)

Research Topics

• Ocular surface disease: allergy, biomarkers, diabetes, keratoconus, obesity and nutrition
• Ocular tumours, ocular melanoma
• Retinal anatomy, neurochemistry, physiology and pathology
• Role of the immune system in posterior segment disease