Hi everyone! My name is Allison (Allie) Redhair, and I am a rising senior within the Honors College. I am a chemistry major on the bioscience track. In my free time, I am an avid weightlifter, so feel free to say hi if you see me at the Pete or Trees! I also love to play guitar and sing and was involved in a performance group throughout middle school and high school. Fun fact: I even got the opportunity to perform at Red Rocks Amphitheater where many music legends have played before! I love a cozy night in, so if I’m not in the lab, the gym, or a music practice room, I’m probably curled up on my couch with a home cooked meal and a book.
My summer research project is under the direction of Dr. Morgan DiLeo in the Department of Ophthalmology. I joined the Ophthalmic Biomaterials research group at the end of the fall semester of my junior year. Research in this lab focuses on using engineered materials to improve treatments for ocular diseases. My project is centered on the development of a degradable, water-permeable, hydrogel for glaucoma shunts.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness1. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is commonly associated with glaucoma, and reducing IOP can slow vision loss2, 3. While there are many treatment options available for lowering IOP, glaucoma shunts are an attractive option, especially for patients with more advanced disease states. Glaucoma shunts are surgically implanted devices that provide another route for fluid drainage in the eye, thus lowering IOP1. However, conventional glaucoma shunts pose a significant risk of hypotony, a condition characterized by low eye pressure. Hypotony can lead to collapse of the eye and vision loss1. To lessen the risks associated with conventional glaucoma shunts, my project will explore the feasibility of inserting a degradable hydrogel into the shunt.
Hydrogels are permeable networks of interconnected polymer strands that can swell with water. Hydrogels can alter both the flow rate and pressure of the fluids travelling through them. The end goal of my project is to develop a successful hydrogel formulation that allows for adequate flow out of the shunt, while preventing hypotony. The ideal hydrogel formulation will be permeable to water, but not so permeable that it has no effect on the rate of flow. It will also be degradable, so that normal flow can be achieved upon IOP stabilization without intervention from a clinician. I am currently testing a wide variety of formulations, with hydrogels made from both natural and synthetic polymers. I am also characterizing these materials to better understand their properties. If I can achieve an adequately permeable hydrogel formulation, hopefully it can be applied to conventional glaucoma shunts to improve glaucoma treatment and prevent vision loss!
I am especially excited to be conducting research in the field of ophthalmology due to my patient experience after a severe corneal injury. Many of the treatments I received used innovative biomaterials and drug delivery approaches, much like the research I am now conducting. I am incredibly motivated to help restore the gift of sight to future patients; just as previous researchers were able to do for me. I am excited that the research I am conducting is highly translational and has great potential to impact patients and their experience with eye treatment.
In the future, I hope to go to graduate school to continue research in biomaterials and drug delivery. I am aiming to earn a PhD in either Biomedical Engineering or Pharmaceutics. After my PhD, I am hoping to work as a research scientist in industry. I believe that the Health Sciences Research Fellowship will be a fantastic start to my career in research. This fellowship will allow me to develop my skills as an independent researcher and better understand how to manage a research project. Additionally, this fellowship will allow me to immerse myself in the field of biomaterials and learn important techniques and concepts. I am very grateful for the opportunity to conduct research with this fellowship and can’t wait to update you all on my findings!
Citations
1. Pereira, I. C.; van de Wijdeven, R.; Wyss, H. M.; Beckers, H. J.; den Toonder, J. M., Conventional glaucoma implants and the new MIGS devices: a comprehensive review of current options and future directions. Eye 2021, 35 (12), 3202-3221.
2. Allison, K.; Patel, D.; Alabi, O., Epidemiology of glaucoma: the past, present, and predictions for the future. Cureus 2020, 12 (11).
3. Jayaram, H.; Kolko, M.; Friedman, D. S.; Gazzard, G., Glaucoma: Now and beyond. The Lancet 2023, 402 (10414), 1788-1801.