Skip to main content
Skip to main menu Skip to spotlight region Skip to secondary region Skip to UGA region Skip to Tertiary region Skip to Quaternary region Skip to unit footer

Slideshow

Researchers Develop Promising Stem Cell Treatment for Damaged Corneas

Researchers working as part of the University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center have developed a new way use stem cells that may one day enable restoration of vision to people with damaged corneas by using their own eye tissue.

Researchers are using a new type of highly sensitive atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyze eye cell cultures. This technique enables researchers to probe and exert force on individual cells to learn more about the cell's overall health and its ability to turn into different types of mature cells. “Just think about trying to gently dimple or prod the top of an individual cell without killing it; with conventional AFM it's close to impossible," said James Lauderdale, an associate professor of cellular biology in UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and paper co-author.

The research team has also developed a microfluidic cell-sorting device capable of filtering out specific cells from a tissue sample. With this device, it is possible to collect the patient's own tissue, sort and culture the cells, and then place them back into the patient all in one day.

A publication of the study is available here.

Support us

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. Click here to learn more about giving.

Every dollar given has a direct impact upon our students and faculty.

Got More Questions?

Undergraduate Inquiries:  cellbio@uga.edu

Registration and Credit Transferscellbio@uga.edu

AP Credit, Section Changes, Overrides, Prerequisitescellbio@uga.edu

Graduate Inquiries:  cbgrad@uga.edu

Contact Us!

Associate Head: 

Dr. Cordula Schulz, 706-542-3515

Main office phone: 706-542-3310

Fax: 706-542-4271

Head of the Department: Dr. Dennis Kyle