The Connexin Biology team is led by Professor Colin Green who holds the W & B Hadden Chair of Ophthalmology and Translational Vision Research. The Connexin Biology Team has a primary focus on wound healing and tissue regeneration. Research is conducted on gap junction channel modulation for corneal repair, spinal cord and optic nerve injury, glaucoma, macular degeneration, neurodegenerative diseases and epilepsy.
Two platforms, connexin specific antisense oligodeoxynucleotides and connexin mimetic peptides have proven effective in the treatment of wounds, providing reduced inflammation and oedema, less scarring and faster wound closure. As the treatments limit lesion spread they are especially effective is nerve sparing after injury to the central nervous system, including the retina and optic nerve. They have proven effective in clinical trials for chronic wounds and in compassionate use in patients with severe non-healing ocular burns.