[FG] György Bence

My group at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) is an interdisciplinary team working at the interface of science and medicine to develop and translate innovative therapies for vision loss. We are particularly focused on bridging the gap between groundbreaking discoveries in basic science and their clinical application in ophthalmology. Our research integrates molecular biology, genetic engineering, clinical science, and computational tools to advance therapies that restore or preserve vision in patients with retinal degeneration.

Core technologies in our lab include optogenetics, which allows us to reactivate remaining retinal cells by making them light-sensitive, and gene editing approaches such as base editing to precisely correct disease-causing mutations in the genome. We also explore gene augmentation strategies using viral vectors to compensate for defective or missing genes. While gene and cell therapies hold immense promise, they also present unique scientific, clinical, and regulatory challenges. Our team addresses these through close collaboration between biologists, engineers, clinicians, and data scientists.

To support clinical translation, we work with the Department of Clinical Research (DKF) to build patient databases, run observational studies, and address key clinical gaps that hinder the translation of novel technologies. This parallel development of molecular and clinical strategies enables us to move novel therapeutics more efficiently toward clinical trials and, ultimately, to the patients who need them.