The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Inc.

Described herein are methods and compositions for modifying cells to improve the assembly of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs).

Methods, systems, and devices are provided for measuring dark adaptation of one or both eyes of a patient, and more particularly, for measuring dark adaptation with a mobile device application. An exemplary method includes exposing an eye of a patient to a light source to bleach a retinal location of the eye, displaying on a mobile device a figure with a luminance and waiting until the patient communicates with the mobile device to acknowledge that the patient can see the figure, measuring and recording a level of the luminance and a time period between first displaying the figure and the patient communicating with the mobile device, continuing to display additional figures with decreasing luminance one at a time, and determining by a processor dark adaptation measurements of the patent based on the measured and recorded luminance and time periods.

The disclosure provides viral vector delivery systems for use in treating diseases or disorders in a subject to whom the viral vector delivery systems are administered, as well as to methods of making and using the viral vector delivery systems.

Methods to treat dry eye disease and to slow, inhibit or delay progression of dry eye disease in a subject are provided. The methods comprise administering a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound that inhibits binding of an inflammatory interleukin-17 (IL-17) cytokine to an IL-17 receptor. In embodiments, the compounds is a protein or a peptide.

Described herein are methods for producing enriched populations of progenitor rod photoreceptor cells (PRPs) and EVs derived therefrom, as well as methods of using the PRPs and EVs to diagnose and treat retinal disease.

Provided herein are methods for treating macular degeneration, age-related macular degeneration, and photoreceptor degeneration in a subject including delivering to the subject electrical stimulation in the form of a ramp waveform, wherein the electrical stimulation is delivered through the skin around the eye. The methods provide for electrical stimulation at least most days per week.

Methods and compositions for preventing or treating cognitive decline associated with dementia and/or mild cognitive impairment and/or neurodegeneration using antibodies, peptides, fusion proteins, or genome editing systems that modulate HSPG/heparin binding affinities of ApoE.

The present subject matter provides, inter alia, compositions, systems, kits, and methods for diagnosing and treating small vessel diseases (SVDs).

Methods are described for predicting ancestral sequences for viruses or portions thereof. Also described are predicted ancestral sequences for adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid polypeptides. The disclosure also provides methods of gene transfer and methods of vaccinating subjects by administering a target antigen operably linked to the AAV capsid polypeptides.

Methods, systems, and devices are provided for measuring eye refraction without a lens, and more particularly, for measuring eye refraction with a mobile device application. An exemplary method includes measuring a distance between a patient and a mobile device, presenting to the patient one or more visual targets sized and shaped to represent perfect vision such as by using Vernier targets or grating targets, instructing the patient to indicate whether the patient can accurately read the visual targets and, if not, to move closer to the mobile device until the patient can accurately read the visual targets, calculating a vision prescription for the patient based on the visual targets and a final distance between the patient and the mobile device, and displaying the vision prescription for the patient.