Ocular Bioengineering and Regeneration Group
Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Ireland
About us
Blindness affects millions worldwide. Located at Trinity College Dublin, the Ocular Bioengineering and Regeneration Group is led by Prof. Mark Ahearne and is focused on developing novel approaches to restoring vision by using a combination of tissue engineering, advanced biomaterials and cell based technologies. Our current research is primarily focused on investigating the role of mechanical environment on ocular cells and using this information to generate new therapies to treat corneal blindness and glaucoma. To date our research has awarded funding of over €2.9 million including awards such as the European Research Council Starting Grant (637460), Irish Research Council Consolidator Laureate Award (IRCLA/2022/3731) and Science Foundation Ireland Starting Investigator Grant (11/SIRG/B2104)
Research Activities
Tissue Engineering
We have employed several strategies to engineer corneal epithelial and stromal tissue using three-dimensional scaffolds and corneal derived cells.
Mechanobiology
We are examining the role of different physical stimuli on ocular cell behavior in the eye including the influence of matrix stiffness, substrate topography and fluidic shear stress.
Biomaterials
We have experience in fabricating different natural and synthetic biomaterials for biomedical application including collagen, silk fibroin, PCL and silicone.
In-Vitro Modelling
We have developed a number of bioreactor and organ-on-a-chip systems to model in-vitro the biophysical environment of the eye
Research Team
Prof. Mark Ahearne
Mark received a BEng. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Limerick in 2001, a MSc. in Cell and Tissue Engineering from Keele University (United Kingdom) in 2003 and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Keele University in 2007. He is currently Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Director of the MSc. in Biomedical Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. His research has focused on combining engineering principles with cell biology to understand ocular cell behavior and to generate new therapies for blindness.
Dr. Rachel Goodband
Post-doctoral research fellow
Development of an organ-on-a-chip model of the trabecular meshwork
Matteo Mancini
PhD student
Developing hydrogels with tunable mechanical and viscoelastic properties to evaluate corneal cells response
Matthia Bonizzi
PhD student
Development and application of a bioreactor system to model the corneal mechanical environment
Funding
