Jessica Sanchez

Home: FH Techikum Wien
Host: Harvard University
Topic: Cell-based therapies for optic neuropathies such as glaucoma.

Jessica is a master student at FH Technikum Wien in the program of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine and is currently conducting research at the Schepens Eye Research Institute in the lab of Professor Petr Baranov at Harvard Medical School. The project focuses on new strategies to enhance the maturation of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), considered as a crucial step toward improving cell-based therapies for optic neuropathies such as glaucoma.

Specifically, Jessica’s project focuses on manipulating the cellular microenvironment through the establishment of neurotrophic gradients, particularly with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). These neurotrophic factors have been shown to support RGC survival and promote subtype-specific maturation, which remains a major challenge in current regenerative approaches.

The long-term goal of the project is to overcome the immaturity of RGCs, thereby improving their structural and functional integration after intravitreal delivery. By optimizing the maturation process, the project aims to enhance the therapeutic potential of RGC transplantation for patients with vision loss caused by glaucoma and other optic nerve injuries.

Jessica Sanchez