A major survey is being undertaken across the UK and US into the experiences of people like us with Rare Diseases. The findings of the research will guide future research and education, so if you can spare 10 minutes to complete the survey, please click on the link below or copy and paste it – once on the site, you will see the link for the survey: Continue reading
Some of you may know that there have been trials on the drug, Sirolimus, which is given intravitreally or subconjunctivally (i.e. into the eye).
The idea behind this medication is that it should allow us to decrease our use of steroids which have such horrible side-effects, and it tends not to give so many other side effects, and it is not taken systemically (i.e. into our bodies). Continue reading
There has been an overwhelming number of papers being produced on helminthic therapy (worms) recently. This is exciting, as it means that it is a therapy that is being taken seriously, and therefore may well get to trial quite soon. Continue reading
I have already posted about the moves being made in gene therapy. Andrew Dick (who chairs the Birdshot Research Network) and colleagues have published a paper on gene therapy for non infectious uveitis, including severe forms of posterior uveitis such as Birdshot. Continue reading
Stephen Foster and associates have published a paper on Treatment of Birdshot with Infliximab. You may be aware that Stephen Foster is hosting the 2013 Birdshot Day on 28 September 2013, in Boston, United States. He has a profound interest in Birdshot and was instrumental in helping us set up BUS. Continue reading
Birdshot is an inflammatory disease, and if we can find out why we produce this inflammatory response, we may be well along the way to finding a cure. Continue reading
The Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences has published a paper on Mesenchymal stem Cells (MSCs). The Institute believes that MSCs are emerging as a promising therapeutic approach of a cell-based therapy for a wide range of auto-immune disorders and degenerative diseases. Continue reading
The next Birdshot Day will be held on 28 September, 2013 in Boston, United States. It is being hosted by Stephen Foster, whom many of you will know. Stephen has been an inspiration for all of us with Birdshot, and held the very first ever Birdshot Day in Boston in 2008. It was this meeting that inspired Annie and I to set up BUS. Continue reading
We came across a fabulous article in the New Zealand Herald about work that Australian scientists, Tyani Chan and Robert Brink from Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research have undertaken. Continue reading
Early news. BUS attended the International Uveitis Study Group in Greece last week (October 2012). While there, we had discussions with our lead consultants and with consultants from the US about the next Birdshot Day. Continue reading