Special Episode - A Patch in a Syringe : Healing the Cornea From the Inside Out

Chris Kachi from the University of Ottawa interviews Dr. May Griffith and Andrés Mercado as part of the TMM4950 Science Communication course, exploring cutting-edge advances in bioengineered corneal regeneration.  Dr. Griffith is a senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a professor in the Faculty of Medicine whose work focuses on regenerative biomaterials and translational ophthalmology. Andrés Mercado is a PhD student in Dr. Emilio Alarcón’s laboratory at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, developing tunable photo-sealants and customized biomaterials for ocular and soft-tissue repair.In this episode, they discuss the development of the Cornea-in-a-Syringe (CIS) hydrogel, how regenerative biomaterials such as GF19-functionalized matrices can be tailored to promote ocular healing, and the future of minimally invasive technologies for corneal repair and vision restoration.Learn more:Dr. May Griffith - https://www.griffithresearch.ca/may-griffith-2Andrés Mercado (Alarcón Lab) - https://www.beatsresearch.com/Alarcon.php0:00 | BEaTS and host introduction.0:27 | Introduction to Dr. Griffith.1:11 | Childhood encounter in Malaysia that inspired Dr. Griffith’s mission.2:57 | Main obstacles to corneal care in low-resource countries.4:15 | Donor shortages and compatibility challenges in corneal transplants.5:08 | Why donor compatibility matters and why people hesitate to donate.5:44 | How artificial/cell-free corneas work - “Field of Dreams” analogy.7:35 | What is Cornea-in-a-Syringe and how does it expand access?9:10 | Why combine Cornea-in-a-Syringe with antiviral GF19 instead of just eye drops?11:44 | Future of corneal treatments and a “vaccine-like” vision restoration.13:10 | Comments from Andrés Mercado on Dr. Griffith’s work.14:01 | Podcast conclusion.Background music: “Podcast Background Music While Talking Interviews - Free Music to use, No Copyright” by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos.Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0).Watch/listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdFqvdekuvIChannel: https://www.youtube.com/@podcastbackgroundmusicCreative Commons - Attribution 3.0 Unported - CC BY 3.0Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Videos - https://www.youtube.com/@podcastbackgroundmusicAlyssa Thomas (Content Generation), Michael Wossen (Producer), Chris Kachi (Voice), and Salah Hussein Aly (Post-Production)