Macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in the elderly. There is no treatment for this disease and little is known about its cause. Dr. Lois Smith of Children's Hospital of Boston is now leading a collaborative group of researchers looking into the basic biochemical pathways that cause it. Short term, the goal is to understand the molecular progression of the disease. Long term, the goal is to find ways to treat or prevent it.

Dr. Donald Senger of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston (studying cell biology), Dr. Laura Benjamin, also of Beth Israel Deaconess (studying transgenic mice to mimic the disease process), Dr. Lois Smith (studying aging changes in the eyes of monkeys and mice) and Dr. Steven Bernstein of University of Maryland School of Medicine (studying genetics in the human eye) have coordinated their efforts to begin to understand the molecular basis of this disease. Dr. Martin Friedlander at Scripps Research Institute in California as well as others have contributed as collaborating participants, to expand the scope of this research.

For more information call: (617) 919-2529