Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Inherited Retinal Disease Gene Therapy

This postdoctoral position at UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology focuses on advancing treatments for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. Under the supervision of Professor Mariya Moosajee, the fellow will explore non-viral gene therapy strategies—specifically mRNA and non-viral delivery—targeting genes *MYO7A* and *GUCY2D* linked to retinal degeneration. The work integrates induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to generate patient-derived retinal organoids, enabling disease modeling and therapeutic testing. The role combines cutting-edge molecular biology, stem cell culture, and translational research, with opportunities to collaborate across ophthalmology and regenerative medicine.

• Develop and optimize non-viral gene therapy approaches (mRNA and vector-free) for treating *MYO7A* and *GUCY2D*-linked retinal diseases.
• Generate and characterize patient-derived retinal organoids from iPSCs to model disease pathophysiology and test therapeutic efficacy.
• Perform stem cell culture, iPSC colony differentiation, and retinal cell lineage specification using advanced molecular biology techniques.
• Conduct histological, electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, and immunocytochemistry analyses to assess treatment outcomes.
• Collaborate with clinical partners at Moorfields Eye Hospital to translate findings into potential clinical applications.
• Publish findings in high-impact journals and present results at international conferences.
• Train junior lab members in stem cell and gene therapy techniques as needed.