Chief Supervisor

Prof. Dennis TSE

Project Title

Synopsis

Myopia, commonly caused by excessive elongation of the eye, occurs when images of distant objects focus in front of the retina. Given its potential to cause irreversible vision-threatening complications and its rapidly increasing prevalence over recent decades—particularly in East Asia—myopia has become a significant public health concern. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. It is documented that the Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) ligands in the retina may activate the EGFR-mTORC1 pathway locally, leading to myopia. However, it remains uncertain how the signals are transduced into biomechanical changes in the sclera—the primary effector of myopia development. My study mainly focuses on the responses of the sclera in this pathway and aims to shed light on the retina-sclera signal transduction process. The findings could enhance understanding of myopia, facilitating the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.