The doctoral dissertation in the field of Ophthalmology will be examined at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Kuopio Campus. The public examination will be streamed online.
What is the topic of your doctoral research? Why is it important to study the topic?
The human sense of sight accounts for up to 80% of all impressions from the environment, making it the most crucial among the five senses. The eye detects and interprets information from the optical spectrum to make sense of the surrounding environment. The retina, located in the posterior region of the eye, is involved in converting light into neuronal electric signals before transmitting them to the central nervous system. Here, elaborate processing and integration with other senses take place. Visual system disturbances significantly diminish the quality of life.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of permanent visual impairment in individuals aged over 65 years. Due to the global population aging, the prevalence of AMD is estimated to increase from 288 million to 2040. Furthermore, the estimated global cost of visual impairment due to AMD is $343 billion, posing a substantial socioeconomic burden.
Age-related macular degeneration is characterized by the loss of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in the retina. As individuals age, oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage increase, playing a role in various degenerative diseases, including AMD. Doctoral research focused on unraveling the molecular mechanisms behind the loss of RPE cells due to increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage, particularly concerning mitochondrial quality control and waste management systems, as well as inflammation.
What are the key findings or observations of your doctoral research?
My research reveals that increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction lead to the oxidation of cellular components, specifically those involved in the degradation machinery of exhausted cellular materials, evoking inflammation.
How can the results of your doctoral research be utilised in practice?
This dissertation enhances our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in AMD development, progression and identifying pivotal pathways for potential drug targets.
What are the key research methods and materials used in your doctoral research?
In this research, PGC-1α/NFE2L2 double knockout mice model was used. This model effectively mimics the clinical features of dry AMD. Additionally, a human-derived in vitro RPE-based model with pharmacologically induced dysfunctional proteasomes and autophagy was studied. The experiments were incorporated to a range of modern molecular biology techniques for comprehensive analysis.
The doctoral dissertation of Iswariyaraja Sridevi Gurubaran, MSc, entitled Mitochondrial Damage and Clearance in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells, Relevance to Age-Related Macular Degeneration will be examined at the Faculty of Health Sciences. The opponent will be Professor Torben Lykke Sørensen of the University of Copenhagen and the custos will be Professor Kai Kaarniranta of the University of Eastern Finland. The language of the public defence is English.
For more information, please contact:
Iswariyaraja Sridevi Gurubaran, rajas(a)uef.fi
