Project Abstract

The human eye is well organized in different physiological compartments reflecting its complex function of light signal perception for vision. Nutrients and certain metabolites play a critical role in the homeostasis of the eye. Moreover, as the eye is both part of the systemic section of the body and the brain, spatial metabolite concentrations are also reflecting the functionality of the blood/brain, i.e. blood/retina barrier. Therefore we are interested in developing sensitive analytical methods for the quantitative measurements of a range of metabolites. As preferred detection method HPLC-MS/MS is developed further, and a special focus is set on the reproducible and easy collection of tear fluid. That has the potential to become a leading sample type for the diagnosis of either eye-related diseases like diabetic retinopathy or neurodegenerative disorders like dementia. The technology is being applied in a couple of clinical studies currently running in close collaboration with the eye hospital and the clinic for psychiatry.

Project Collaborators

• Prof. Fokke Ziemssen, Clinic for Ophthalmology, UKT
• Prof. Martin Spitzer, Clinic for Ophthalmology, UKT
• Dr. Brigitte Schreitmüller, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, UKT

Scientists in Ueffing Lab

Dr. Sascha Dammeier