Birdshot Uveitis Society has noticed that there have been a lot of new development on stem cell research in the news lately which offer new hope to those whose rods and cones are losing their function. Here are a few examples which caught our eye in January and which offer hope for Birdshotters in the future:- Continue reading
BUS wants to draw your attention to a link to an article about a research paper recently published and written by researchers who are coincidentally members of our National Birdshot Research Network. The paper explains why extramacular scanning may be a helpful tool in diagnosing, and monitoring cases of Birdshot. Continue reading
We came across this article on the BBC News website about the affect of Zinc on controlling the immune system and wondered if it has any relevance for Birdshotters? Continue reading
A paper entitled “Reappraisal of birdshot retinochoroiditis (BRC): a global approach.” has just been published by M Papdia and C P Herbort. 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
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
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