Institute for Ophthalmic Research

Head

Prof. Dr. med. Eberhart Zrenner

Email: ezrenner [at] uni-tuebingen [dot] de

Team

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Dr. med. Antje Bernd Senior physician antje [dot] bernd [at] med [dot] uni-tuebingen [dot] de	Dr. med. Katarina Å tingl Ophthalmologist, Clinical Scientist katarina [dot] stingl [at] med [dot] uni-tuebingen [dot] de	Dr. med. Ditta Zobor, FEBO Ophthalmologist, Clinical Scientist ditta [dot] nagy [at] med [dot] uni-tuebingen [dot] de Â
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Dr. med. Ieva Sliesoraityte Ophthalmological Clinical Scientist ieva [dot] sliesoraityte [at] med [dot] uni-tuebingen [dot] de	Wilhelm Durst Engineering and Electronics wilhelm [dot] durst [at] med [dot] uni-tuebingen [dot] de	Stephanie Hipp Resident Ophthalmologist stephanie [dot] hipp [at] med [dot] uni-tuebingen [dot] de

Contact

Schleichstr. 12-16
72076 Tuebingen

Additional Information

URL Clinic for Hereditary Retinal Degenerations

Mission statement

Hereditary retinal degenerations, e.g. retinitis pigmentosa (RP), are the most common cause of blindness in young adults. There are at least 190 different genes in which mutations occur that lead to different forms of degenerative retinal diseases. Since 1989 a special clinic for pa¬tients suffering the various forms of these diseases has been established by Prof. Zrenner with the aim to help elucidating the causative gene mutations, to develop elaborate methods of function testing for correct diagnosis and to advise and treat patients. Novel methods of electrophysiology and imag¬ing techniques have been developed to al¬low for multimodal mapping and refined phenotype analysis. Approximately 500 patients are investigated and counseled annually. In close cooperation with the Molecular Genetics laboratory of the Insti¬tute, the DNA of these patients is analyzed in conjunction with the clinical research group, supported by the German research council since 2005 and the HOPE project on rare diseases, supported by the Federal Ministry of Research and Technology. This allows not only for classifying patients in careful stud¬ies but for establishing a huge network of cooperation with other special RP clinics and molecular genetic laboratories. This has led to the discovery of many new genes and to major contributions in developing novel therapeutic strategies based either on pharmacological agents or medical devices. Dr. Antje Bernd, as senior ophthalmologist is responsible together with Prof. Zrenner for patient care in this special clinic.

       

Selected publications

Kitiratschky VB, Grau T, Bernd A, Zrenner E, Jägle H, Renner AB, Kellner U, Rudolph G, Jacobson SG, Cideciyan AV, Schaich S, Kohl S, Wissinger B.
ABCA4 gene analysis in patients with autosomal recessive cone and cone rod dystrophies.
Eur J Hum Genet. 2008. 16:812-819.

Zrenner E.
THE 2007 EMIKO ADACHI AWARD LECTURE: Restoring neuroretinal function: new potentials.
Doc Ophthalmol. 2007. 115:56-59.

Gekeler F, Szurman P, Grisanti S, Weiler U, Claus R, Greiner TO, Völker M, Kohler K, Zrenner E, Bartz-Schmidt KU.
Compound subretinal prosthesis with extra-ocular parts designed for human tri¬als: successful long-term implantation in pigs.
Graefe‘s Arch Clin Exp. 2007. 245:230-241.

Eckhorn R, Wilms M, Schanze T, Eger M, Hesse L, Eysel UT, Kisvarday ZF, Zrenner E, Gekeler F, Sch¬wahn H, Shinoda K, Sachs H, Walter P.
Visual resolution with retinal implants estimated from recordings in cat visual cortex.
Vision Research. 2006. 46:2675-2690.

Zrenner E.
Will Retinal Implants Restore Vision?
Science. 2002. 295:1022-1025.