FutureNeuro’s Principal Investigator, Prof Matthew Campbell, has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept award valued at €150,000 to explore the innovation potential of ideas arising from his previously funded ERC project.  

These grants are awarded on the basis of excellence and help to bridge the gaps between scientific discoveries and the unexpected real-world commercial and societal applications that such discoveries can lead to.  

Prof Matthew Campbell, from Trinity’s School of Genetics and Microbiology and a Principal Investigator at the FutureNeuro Research Ireland Centre, will aim to develop a novel gene therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness worldwide. 

During his ongoing ERC project, “Retina-Rhythm,” Prof Campbell and his team discovered that blood vessels in the retina, at the back of the eye, become leaky in patients with early and intermediate stages of AMD. To address this, they are seeking to develop a new treatment aimed at preventing this blood vessel leakiness. 

Prof Campbell said: “I’m delighted to have been awarded this ERC PoC grant. This type of funding will allow me and my team to accelerate the development of a totally new concept and treatment paradigm for AMD.”   

I’m really excited about the potential this project holds and looking forward to getting the work started.” 

ERC Proof of Concept awards enable researchers to progress their research along the path from new scientific knowledge towards innovative tools and technologies. Congratulations to Prof Campbell and all the other awardees on this achievement!