Scientific and technical history of the last five years of the research group “Pharmacological Biochemistry of the Eye (OCUPHARM)”.
OcuPharm research group belongs to the School of Optometry at the Complutense University of Madrid. It is exploiting its scientific expertise in the fields of biochemistry, pharmacology, ocular pathology, molecular biology, molecular pathology and neurology. The group has a number of commercial collaborations in place, providing services to biotechnology companies in basic science and preclinical studies regarding medicines, biochemical, pharmacological and physiology to the eye and its diseases. From the year 2007 up to the year 2010, the research group participated in one FP-6 EU project (ARTEMIS) as coordinator and in another FP-6 project (UPDATE) as partner. The project UPDATE that was finished in 2010 was dedicated to the student training and had the title “Understanding and Providing a Developmental Approach to Technology Education”.In the year 2015 the group was granted an H2020 EU project for the development of a biomarker for Dry Eye syndrome.Since its creation from the Prof. Jesus Pintor in 1998, the research group is focusing its scientific activities on the research of melatonin effects and its analogy on the intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal wound healing, Dry Eye syndrome, Glaucoma, and Ocular surface pathologies.The director of the group is the Full Professor, Jesus Pintor, PhD and he will be the scientific supervisor for the student Nery Garcia Porta.The group and especially its director has extensive experience in the training of pre and post-doctoral students.From the year 2007 to 2010 we participated in a national network of 9 participants, for student exchange in the sector of research related to eye neurotransmission called NEUROTRANS.The group is constantly participating in scientific student exchange and the last years we received several PhD students for stays from national universities and international universities from Greece, Israel and USA. We have sent as well a student for a 4 year postdoc stay in New York University School of Medicine in the USA, establishing mutual beneficial relations with this university. Since 2008 and at least up to the year 2017 the group is participating in a scientific network for the connection of 20 Ophthalmological, mainly clinical, research groups in Spain, called RETICS. The network is dedicated among others to the scientific exchange of students and researchers, among the participant groups.The group was responsible for the successful presentation of 10 doctoral thesis for the last 5 years and currently is directing another 11 doctoral thesis projects.
Among the members of the group are:
Director Dr Jesus Pintor PhD in Biochemistry
Dr. Gonzalo Carracedo PhD in Optometry
Dr. Almudena Crooke PhD in Biochemistry
Dr. Ana Isabel Guzman PhD in Chemistry
Dr. Alba Martin PhD in Optometry
Dr. Patricia Loma PhD in Optometry
Dr. Maria Jesus Perez PhD in Biochemistry
Dr. Fernando Huete PhD in Biochemistry
WEB: www.ocupharm.com
ADDRESS: C / Arcos De Jalon 118 28037 Madrid
Tel. 913946859
Fax. 913946885
Technologies used
Cell cultures (primary cultures and cell lines), Optical and confocal microscopy, Immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry, Western-blot, PCR and RT-PCR, Microfluorimetry, Spectrophotometry, HPLC, Ocular imaging techniques, Histological studies, Animal models of glaucoma
Basic research
Ocular Pharmacology, Location receptor, Immunohistochemistry, Immunocytochemistry, ocular Biochemistry, studies messengers and receptors, Immune-localization of enzymes, enzyme kinetics, molecular biology, Cloning of receptors and enzymes, gene silencing siRNA testing and verification, Cell Culture, primary cell cultures and cell lines, corneal epithelial cells, trabecular meshwork, ciliary epithelial cells.
Pre-clinical research
Ocular hypertension and glaucoma drugs tests New Zealand White rabbits-normotensive and hypertensive, corneal scarring, "In vivo" studies of corneal healing, "In vitro" studies of corneal healing, lacrimation, dry eye, tear secretion studies, Diagnosis in dry eye, corneal neovascularization, angiogenesis inhibitors Tests, Contact Lenses, technology support contact lenses.
Clinical Research
In collaboration with the clinic of the Faculty of Optics
Group productivity
Scientific publications: 202 (179 + 23 books magazines and book chapters)
Patents: 24
Projects and research contracts: 65