Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Statement
Research topics
- Retinal degenerative and vascular diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinitis pigmentosa.
- Ocular drug delivery, in particular, topical drug delivery for retinal degenerative and angiogenic diseases.
Research statement
My research has been focused on the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of retinal degenerative and angiogenic diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR) and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). Although AMD, DR and RP are not classical inflammatory diseases, inflammation is known to play an important role in the initiation and progression of the diseases. We aim to understand how inflammation contributes to the aetiology of these diseases and to identify targets for therapeutic intervention.
Main research activities
1) Inflammation in DR: We are interested in how diabetes affects immune cells and why the immune response to diabetes-mediated retinal injury becomes detrimental in DR. During diabetes, abnormal glucose metabolism can affect the development and function of immune cells (Xu and Chen. Diabetic retinopathy and dysregulated innate immunity. Vision Research. 2017;139:39-46). We have found that prolonged high glucose environment sensitises macrophages to inflammatory stimuli, but reduces the defence function of macrophages (Pavlou, et al. Sustained high glucose exposure sensitizes macrophage responses to cytokine stimuli but reduces their phagocytic activity.BMC Immunology. 2018; Vol. 19:24).
2) The role of Muller cell in retinal neurovascular unit: The blood-retinal barrier (BRB) is essential for retinal immune privilege. The functional integrity of BRB is maintained by the retinal neurovascular unit. Muller cell, the principal glia spanning almost the entire retina, is an important component of the neurovascular unit. We aim to understand the regulatory role of Muller cells in the neurovascular unit and BRB, and how the regulation is altered in diseases such as DR and AMD. Our group has recently established a mouse Muller cell line (Augustine, et al. Characterization of a spontaneously immortalized murine Müller glial cell line QMMuC-1. IOVS 2018; Vol. 59, No. 3. pp. 1666-1674), which provides a valuable tool for studying the pathophysiology of Muller cells.
3) Topical drug delivery for the treatment of retinal diseases: Due to the distinct anatomy of human eyes, it has been very difficult for topically applied drug to reach the posterior segment of the eyes. Teamed with collaborators in University of Birmingham, we have demonstrated that a cell penetrating peptide can aid drugs to the posterior segment of the eyes when applied topically (de Cogan, et al. Topical Delivery of Anti-VEGF Drugs to the Ocular Posterior Segment Using Cell-Penetrating Peptides. IOVS 2017; Vol. 58, No. 5. pp. 2578-2590).
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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R2896CEM: Microglia circadian disruption in pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy
Beli, E. (PI) & Chen, M. (CoI)
09/06/2022 → …
Project: Research
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R2575CEM: Deciphering the role of macrophages in retinal fibrosis secondary to neovascular AMD
01/03/2019 → 31/12/2022
Project: Research
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R6545CEM: Educational Network in Ocular Drug Delivery and Therapeutics
Xu, H. (PI), Chen, M. (CoI) & Stitt, A. (CoI)
29/09/2016 → 31/10/2020
Project: Research
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R8335CEM: Targeting STAT3 for the management of diabetic retinopathy
Xu, H. (PI), Chen, M. (CoI), Lois, N. (CoI) & Lyons, T. (CoI)
27/03/2014 → 31/12/2016
Project: Research
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R2027CVS: Investigation of adverse side-effects of anti-VEGF therapy in the diabetic retina
Xu, H. (PI), Chen, M. (CoI) & Stitt, A. (CoI)
01/08/2013 → 30/11/2017
Project: Research
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ALDH1A1 gene therapy attenuates acrolein-induced Müller cell dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy
Karan, B. M., Augustine, J., Barabas, P., Chen, M., Stitt, A. W. & Curtis, T. M., 01 Jun 2024, In: Investigative Opthalmology and Visual Science. 65, 7, 872.Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting abstract › peer-review
Open Access -
Natural killer cells promote neutrophil extracellular traps and restrain macular degeneration in mice
Dong, X., Song, Y., Liu, Y., Kou, X., Yang, T., Shi, S. X., He, K., Li, Y., Li, Z., Yao, X., Guo, J., Cui, B., Wu, Z., Lei, Y., Du, M., Chen, M., Xu, H., Liu, Q., Shi, F.-D. & Wang, X. & 1 others, , 14 Aug 2024, In: Science Translational Medicine. 16, 760, 15 p., eadi6626.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Protein O-GlcNAcylation coupled to Hippo signaling drives vascular dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy
Lei, Y., Liu, Q., Chen, B., Wu, F., Li, Y., Dong, X., Ma, N., Wu, Z., Zhu, Y., Wang, L., Fu, Y., Liu, Y., Song, Y., Du, M., Zhang, H., Zhu, J., Lyons, T. J., Wang, T., Hu, J. & Xu, H. & 3 others, , 29 Oct 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 23 p., 9334.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)4 Downloads (Pure) -
Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed rod photoreceptors are most sensitive to age-induced degeneration
Chen, M., Tang, M., Zhou, B. & Xu, H., Jun 2024, In: Investigative Opthalmology and Visual Science. 65, 7, 1 p., 563.Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting abstract › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
SOCS3 regulates pathological retinal angiogenesis through modulating SPP1 expression in microglia and macrophages
Wang, T., Kaneko, S., Kriukov, E., Alvarez, D., Lam, E., Wang, Y., La Manna, S., Marasco, D., Fernandez-Gonzalez, A., Mitsialis, S. A., Kourembanas, S., Stahl, A., Chen, M., Xu, H., Baranov, P., Cai, G., von Andrian, U. H. & Sun, Y., 01 May 2024, In: Molecular Therapy . 32, 5, p. 1425-1444Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)55 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Dataset for Microplasma assisted synthesis of gold nanoparticle/graphene oxide nanocomposites and their potential application in SERS sensing
Sun, D. (Owner), Tang, M. (Creator), Zhang, L. (Creator), Falzon, B. (Creator), Padmanaban, D. B. (Creator), Mariotti, D. (Creator), Maguire, P. (Creator), Xu, H. (Creator), Chen, M. (Creator) & Sun, D. (Data Manager), Queen's University Belfast, 04 Jul 2019
DOI: 10.17034/54090971-6f0e-4bd6-86b1-bf84c3d4cde7, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6528/ab2a23
Dataset
File
Prizes
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2012 Fight for Sight Early Career Investigator Award
Chen, M. (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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ARVO Anneal meeting International Travel Award (2015)
Chen, M. (Recipient), May 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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ISER (2010) International Travel Award
Chen, M. (Recipient), Jul 2010
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Travel award (IL1 mediated inflammation and diabetes)
Chen, M. (Recipient), 18 Oct 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Uveitis Award (2nd Prize), for the study on complement therapy in uveitis. European Uveitis Patient Association.
Chen, M. (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Macrophage in subretinal fibrosis
Chen, M. (Invited speaker)
22 Oct 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference
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XXVI Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Eye Research
Chen, M. (Invited speaker)
20 Oct 2024 → 24 Oct 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting 2024
Chen, M. (Participant)
04 May 2024 → 09 May 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Grant peer review for Canada Institutes of Health Research, Canada
Chen, M. (Reviewer)
2024 → 2025Activity: Other activity types › Other
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Association for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (External organisation)
Chen, M. (Board Member)
Aug 2023 → Nov 2025Activity: Membership types › Membership of board