In May 2018, Prof. Seitz was granted 2.5 million Euros by the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Foundation for an endowed professorship to establish research on limbal stem cells and congenital aniridia. You can find out more about it HERE.

Stem cell project

With certain hereditary diseases, such as congenital aniridia (lack of the iris) or damage to the top layer of the cornea, the so-called epithelial cells can no longer regenerate. The scientists are trying to breed these in the biological laboratory in a stem cell project. Sources for these limbal stem cells could be from the patient's second eye or possibly from a close relative. Ideally, these new limbal stem cells, which regenerate the top layer of the cornea, can then be transplanted onto the diseased eye. For the patient, this means that they can expect an improvement in their eyesight.

Team

Team Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Centrum

From left to right.
PhD student Priya Katiyar, Dr. Lorenz Latta, Dr. Myriam Ulrich, Dr. Tanja Stachon, PhD student Constanze Bleil, Director Prof. Dr. Nóra Szentmáry, Secretary Claudia Bücklein and Mr. Vithusan Muthukumar, Research Assistant.

Contact details

Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Center for
Limbal Stem Cell Research
and Congenital Aniridia
Kirrberger Straße 100, Geb. 22
66424 Homburg / Saar, Germany
Website

Head
Mrs. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Nóra Szentmáry
nora.szentmary@uks.eu

Secretariat
Ms. Claudia Bücklein
claudia.buecklein@uks.eu
+49 6841 16-21217
+49 6841 16-12310

Laboratory
+49 6841 16-22325

Dr. Tanja Stachon
tanja.stachon@uks.eu

Dr. Myriam Ulrich
myriam.ulrich@uks.eu