Name: Dr. Claire Kilty
Title: IRC Postdoctoral Researcher
Research field: Ocular Pharmacology
In age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), blindness results from abnormal “leaky” blood vessels in the eye, leading to inflammation and swelling. Current VEGF-based drugs rely on monthly injections into the eye. We seek to overcome the risks and burdens associated with repeat injections by determining if novel drugs can be developed with improved efficacy and delivery. Our solution is to deliver our novel small molecule drugs encapsulated within a sustained release device to the retina.
It is hoped that this will provide long-term continuous intravitreal delivery of our small molecule drugs, reducing the symptoms associated with AMD and DR, decreasing injection frequency, reducing the risks associated with repeat intraocular injection and, importantly, reducing patient and clinical burden.
I did my degree in genetics in Trinity College Dublin and I became interested in the vision research being undertaken in the genetics department. At that time great strides were being made in ocular research and I felt that, by combining both my genetics background and my interest in translational eye research, I could help make a difference within this area.
Firstly, it would involve carrying out numerous experiments to optimise novel drugs and delivery devices in the retina, followed by data analysis. Secondly, it would involve teaching, either lecturing to undergraduate students or supervising final year undergraduates or postgraduate students with lab-based projects. Finally I would have numerous administrative duties to complete such as grant writing, paper writing, reviewing the literature etc.
The key challenges have been learning how to balance all the different types of tasks involved in postdoctoral research, in addition to determining how to delegate tasks in order to maximise my productivity.
Yes, when I was finishing my PhD there was a lot of uncertainty about research funding in Ireland. It took a lot of perseverance and grant-writing to gain the funding needed to continue my post-doctoral research here.
I really admire Professor Jean Bennett at the University of Pennsylvania as I think she has been involved in some ground-breaking research in the ocular field. In particular, her work on the Leber congenital amaurosis RPE65 clinical trials, which was the first study to report vision improvement in children.
That it is important to pursue a career choice that you are passionate about rather than a career motivated solely by financial gain.
My long-term career aspiration is to take my experience in academia and the skills I have acquired during my PhD and post-doctoral research to significantly contribute to ocular drug development.