A new class of Two-Dimensional Optoelectronic Materials in Accommodating Intraocular Lens Design

自从雷纳和哈罗德·雷德利在1949年发明了世界上第一个人工晶状体（IOL）以来，医疗植入技术取得了巨大的进步。然而，人工晶状体的设计和开发仍然面临着重大挑战，这些医疗设备的生物相容性差，无法模仿自然晶状体的调节特性。在开发下一代可调节视力的植入式眼器时，将需要传感器、导电纳米材料和新型聚合物来响应睫状肌收缩的刺激。在这个项目中，将开发一种新型的纳米结构二维材料，其光电性能超过相关的石墨烯家族，可用于植入式眼科设备。该博士课程将利用布莱顿和雷纳人工晶状体有限公司（英国）在眼科生物材料方面的专业知识，结合AJ德雷克塞尔纳米材料研究所（美国）的材料专业知识。白内障是全球双侧失明的主要原因，影响着全球超过2400万人。虽然移除浑浊的晶状体并用塑料人工晶状体（IOL）替代可以恢复视力，但许多患者会遇到与视力丧失和适应相关的困难。目前，由于缺乏透明、柔韧、导电的材料，使得睫状肌通过改变屈光特性来响应睫状肌收缩，可调节的人工晶体设计受到限制。该项目介绍了一种新型的纳米结构二维材料，用于人工晶状体的设计，并将研究这些材料可能被开发成透明、灵活、高导电性的人工晶状体原型，通过控制晶状体折射率的变化来抑制炎症和对刺激做出反应。这些材料也可以提供安全有效的有晶状体人工晶状体，作为激光手术的替代选择和更可预测的屈光手术。该博士生将获得材料合成、物理化学表征技术、生物建模和人工晶状体设计的商业方面的经验。主要在布莱顿大学的生物材料研究小组工作；该学生还将在美国AJ Drexel纳米技术研究所学习纳米材料合成和表征技术，并将在雷德利创新中心（Rayner新建的2200万英镑的最先进培训和人工晶体生产设施）获得工业经验。

Since Rayner and Harold Ridley developed the world's first intraocular lens (IOL) in 1949 there have been huge advances in medical implant technologies. However, there remain significant challenges in IOL design and development related to poor biocompatibility and failure of these medical devices to mimic the accommodative properties of the natural lens. In developing the next generation of implantable ocular devices capable of accommodative vision, sensors, conductive nanomaterials and novel polymers which respond to stimulation from ciliary muscle contraction will be required. Within this project a new class of nanostructured two dimensional materials with optoelectronic properties exceeding those of the related graphene family will be developed for use in implantable ophthalmic devices. This PhD program will utilise the expertise in ophthalmic biomaterials at the University of Brighton & Rayner Intraocular Lenses Ltd (UK), combined with the materials expertise at AJ Drexel Nanomaterials Institute (USA).Cataracts are the leading cause of bilateral blindness globally and affect more than 24 million people worldwide. Whilst removal of the cloudy lens and replacement with a plastic intraocular lens (IOL) restores sight many patients experience difficulties related to loss of visual acuity and accommodation. Accommodating IOL design is currently restricted by the lack of materials which are transparent, flexible and conductive allowing response to ciliary muscle contraction by a change of refractive properties. This project introduces a new class of nanostructured, 2 dimensional materials for accommodating IOL design and will investigate the hypothesis that these materials may be developed as transparent, flexible, highly conductive IOL prototypes which suppress inflammation and respond to stimulus by controlled changes in lens refractive index. These materials may also provide a safe and effective phakic IOL as an alternative and more predictable refractive procedure to laser surgery. The PhD student will gain experience in material synthesis and physicochemical characterisation techniques, biological modelling and commercial aspects of accommodating IOL design. Based primarily in the biomaterials research group, at the University of the Brighton; the student will also spend time learning nanomaterials synthesis and characterisation techniques at AJ Drexel Nanotechnology Institute, USA and will gain industrial experience working at Ridley Innovation Centre, Rayner's new £22 million state of the art training and IOL production facility.