Photoresponsive, biocompatible materials for reconfigurable intraocular lenses

人工晶状体(IOL)是一种柔软、可弯曲的晶状体，通过手术植入以取代人眼中的白内障晶状体；白内障手术是世界上最常见的手术之一。在视力进一步改变的情况下，目前的人工晶状体必须通过手术更换。我们的目标是开发可重构的人工晶状体，它可以在手术后用(良性的)激光进行非侵入性的修改，以矫正视力。可重构人工晶状体将消除眼科手术的需要、相关的感染风险、恢复时间和费用；它们是一种颠覆性技术，将显著提高以老年和脆弱患者为主的患者的生活质量。我们研究可重构人工晶状体的方法必须是跨学科的，跨越分子水平的光化学、光学物理、光学工程、化学和生物医学工程、体外和体内安全性和毒性研究、眼科手术到患者护理。它从设计和合成光响应分子开始，这些分子被结合到生物相容的水凝胶(类似于生物晶状体的柔性、水肿胀的网络)中，可以模塑成人工晶状体。当暴露在近红外(NIR)区域的波长下时，IOL内的这些光响应分子经历了精心设计的构型变化，从而改变了水凝胶的光学性质-包括折射率-。这反过来又改变了人工晶状体的功率(处方)-允许它通过激光远程调节-即使在植入眼睛后也是如此。通过使用近红外光而不是可见光波长，我们确保只有通过设计近红外激光才能引起晶状体的修改，并且人工晶状体对环境光保持惰性。申请者带来了对该项目至关重要的各种广泛的技术专长和仪器，范围从光学物理、光响应性软材料(Saravanamuttu)、化学/生物医学工程(Seardown)、眼科手术(McLaughlin)和合成化学(Vargas Baca)。我们将共同指导一个由两名博士后研究员组成的团队，分别负责光响应分子的合成以及人工晶状体原型的制造、表征和活性测试。在项目过程中，每个人都将指导一名研究生。我们将协调团队成员之间的互惠、无缝互动，这是该项目成功的关键。

Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are soft, flexible lenses that are surgically implanted to replace cataractous lenses in the human eye; cataract surgery is one of the most common procedures in the world. In the case of further vision changes, current IOLs must be surgically replaced. Our objective is to develop reconfigurable IOLs, which can be post-operatively and non-invasively modified with (benign) laser beams to correct vision. Reconfigurable IOLs would eliminate the need for ophthalmic surgery, associated risk of infection, recovery time and expense; they represent a disruptive technology that would significantly enhance quality of life in a predominantly geriatric and vulnerable patient population.Our approach to reconfigurable IOLs is necessarily interdisciplinary, spanning molecular-level photochemistry, optical physics, optical engineering, chemical and biomedical engineering of lenses, in vitro and in vivo safety and toxicity studies, ophthalmic surgery to patient care. It begins with the design and synthesis of light-responsive molecules, which are incorporated into biocompatible hydrogels (flexible, water-swollen networks akin to biological lenses) that can be moulded into IOLs. When exposed to wavelengths in the near infrared (NIR) region, these photoresponsive molecules within IOLs undergo carefully designed configurational changes that alter the optical properties - including the refractive index - of the hydrogel. This in turn changes the power (prescription) of the IOL - allowing it to be remotely tuned with a laser beam - even after insertion into the eye. By employing NIR light rather than visible wavelengths, we ensure that modification of the lens is elicited only by design with a NIR laser and that IOLs remain inert to ambient light. The applicants bring the diverse and broad suite of technical expertise and instrumentation critical to this project, ranging from optical physics, photo-responsive soft materials (Saravanamuttu), chemical/biomedical engineering (Sheardown), ophthalmic surgery (McLaughlin) and synthetic chemistry (Vargas Baca). We will co-supervise a team of two post-doctoral fellows, charged respectively with synthesis of photoresponsive molecules, and fabrication, characterization and viability testing of IOL prototypes. Each will mentor a graduate student during the course of the project. We will coordinate reciprocal, seamless interactions between team members, which is key to the success of this project.