Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be blind?
UCD KEDS Summer School 2016.
(Course 1: 14th -17th June/
Course 2: 28th June - 1st July)
Retinal dystrophies are a leading cause of blindness worldwide, which include retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Together with leading clinicians, patients and supporting charities, we have designed a four day summer programme which will shed some light on retinal disease. We will explore the causes and the consequences of retinal disease; how they can be inherited by genetics and the impact that they have on a patient’s everyday lifestyle. We will investigate current treatment procedures and new potential therapies…and examine the socio-economic impact of blindness.
By enrolling on our summer programme, students had the opportunity to experience ‘University style’ learning. We threw the textbooks out the door! This program combined interactive workshops and academic seminars with hands on practical sessions in scientific labs to develop a working knowledge of genetic disease and experience some of the day-to-day duties that being a scientist can involve. Throughout these weeks we considered the principles of drug discovery and the pathway of drug development. Students had the unique opportunity to learn to ‘screen’ for active drugs, a process which is used to select drugs which display the highest potential for treatment of patients.
Students got the chance to develop their skills in presentation and team work and contribute to an ongoing scientific knowledge exchange and dissemination strategy, to educate and circulate knowledge and understanding of retinal disease.
The Health Research Board, 3D-NET and UCD (OPGG) helped students to join the next generation of innovators bringing science from the bench to the bedside. We know that sometimes science and medicine can seem like a different language. Our primary was to ensure that we are all speaking the same language when it comes to our health and wellbeing.
We want to thank all our students for their interest, commitment, hard work, feedback and contributions over these weeks. We invite you to explore the UCD KEDS (opens in a new window)Summer School 2016 - photogallery and to enjoy some of the fabulous and creative contributions made by our students at the links below:
- Watch this fab 3D animation created by Sean Kirwan about Inherited Blindness
(opens in a new window)Inherited Blindness from (opens in a new window)Sean Kirwan on (opens in a new window)Vimeo.
- Learn all about your genes and enjoy the Official Genetics Rap by Sasha Deegan
- Fun Facts About Genetics for Kids
- Genekids - CICO TEAM
- SMARTICLES
- Inherited Blindness poem
- Vision impairments impacting people today_ By Eilis, M.C Sasha Katie
- Age related macular degeneration - DREAM TEAM
- Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Inherited Disease by TEAM 6