Marianna Foldvari working with gene therapy to treat glaucoma

CBB Member Marianna Foldvari, Pharmacy, is focusing on non-invasive gene therapy and drug delivery, using nanotechnology to treat and cure neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma.

“A focus right now is to develop nano-sized transporters that can reach the back of the eye to improve vision, especially in the treatment of glaucoma,” Foldvari says.

“Gene therapy is becoming a way where we might even be able to cure diseases, not just treat them,” she says. “Developing gene delivery carriers requires a lot of technological types of development, and this is where nanotechnology comes in. We are now able to develop very small particles outfitted with homing molecules that can deliver the cargo to specific sites. These very small particles can navigate between cells and get to places where older technologies couldn’t. We can also avoid side effects this way because we are very focused on the disease site.”

There is no current cure for glaucoma - the impact of Foldvari's research on healthy aging could be significant.

[Global Impact]