NOVA Medical School is leading a major European initiative to tackle retinal diseases: COST Action “Retina4Future” aims to translate vision research into novel biomarkers and advanced therapies.
Professor and researcher at NOVA Medical School, Sandra Tenreiro, is the main proposer of the newly approved COST Action titled Retina4Future – Enabling Translation of Retinal Disease Diagnosis and Therapies: A Roadmap for Future (CA24105). Funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), this initiative aims to establish a collaborative research network to accelerate innovation in the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases.
Retinal diseases are a leading cause of vision impairment worldwide, posing a significant burden on both individuals and healthcare systems. Retina4Future aims to speed up the translation of European research in the field of retinal diseases by focusing on early diagnosis, advancing imaging tools, and identifying structural, functional and molecular biomarkers. Additionally, it aims to develop innovative therapies to prevent disease progression at early stages, before vision is compromised.
“This is the first network of its kind dedicated to retinal diseases,” says Sandra Tenreiro. “We believe it will have a major impact on the field by fostering new collaborations, training young researchers and innovators, and accelerating the pathway from research to clinical and market solutions, in line with COST’s inclusiveness policy.”
The network will encompass a diverse group of contributors, including basic and clinical researchers, clinicians, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), patient organizations, ethics experts and policymakers. Notable contributors include José Ramalho from SICGEN Research and Development in Biotechnology Ltd and Lúcia Domingues from NOVA Medical School.
As Sandra Tenreiro explained: “COST Actions are unique in that they do not directly fund research projects, but rather support networking activities such as workshops, training schools, conferences, and short-term scientific missions”. “This Action is expected to significantly enhance the career development of young researchers and innovators and benefit long-term advancements in retinal healthcare for patients and their families across Europe and beyond” – adds the principal investigator of the Degeneration and Ageing Lab at NOVA Medical School.
The proposal brought together 67 secondary proposers from 23 COST member countries, as well as international partners from Canada, India, the United States, and two international organizations.
The network is now open to new members! More information is available on the dedicated webpage at www.cost.eu under the Retina4Future (CA24105) Action.
