Organisation profile
Organisation profile
Ophthalmology research at Bristol creates an exciting environment for our experts to deliver clinical and laboratory research alongside health care and education. Our scientists and clinicians are dedicated to improving health care for patients by implementing basic science advances and transferring laboratory acquired knowledge to clinical practice.
Research at the Academic Unit of Ophthalmology is supported by the School of Clinical Sciences based in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and also by the Infection and Immunity theme at the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
A National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre in Ophthalmology
Our research strengths have been recognised by a prestigious award of £26.5 million from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology which supports Bristol in a key partnership with the University College London's (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology and the Moorfields Eye Hospital. Bristol is the Centre's lead on inflammation and immunotherapeutics.
Facilities and services
We are based in high-spec, refurbished laboratories at the School of Medical Sciences and the Bristol Eye Hospital, as well as new state-of-the-art laboratories for our Corneal Banking Service at the Bristol Eye Hospital, creating the ideal surroundings for our leading research programmes.
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Profiles
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Emeritus Professor W J Armitage
- Bristol Medical School (THS) - Emeritus Professor
- Ophthalmology
Person: Member, Honorary and Visiting Academic
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Dr Denize Atan
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience - Associate Professor in Neuro-ophthalmology, Neuroscience and Genetics
- Infection and Immunity
- Ophthalmology
- Bristol Neuroscience
Person: Academic , Member
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Dr David A Copland
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine - Research Fellow
- Ophthalmology
Person: Academic , Member
Research output
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Can provision of near vision glasses as an early intervention improve visual outcomes in infants at risk of perinatal brain insult? The Babies in Glasses (BiG) randomised feasibility trial
Bullaj, R., Dyet, L., Mitra, S., Bunce, C., Clarke, C. S., Saunders, K., Dale, N., Horwood, A., Williams, C., St Clair Tracy, H., Marlow, N. & Bowman, R., 16 Feb 2026, In: BMJ Open. 16, 2, 10 p., e107894.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open Access -
Editorial: Hunting for inflammation mediators: identifying novel biomarkers for autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases
Zeng, L., Fang, Y., Horie, S. & Liu, J., 13 Jan 2026, In: Frontiers in Immunology. 17, 3 p., 1778299.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open Access -
Age-Associated Decline in Autophagy Pathways in Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Protective Effects of Topical Trehalose in Light-induced Outer Retinal Degeneration in Mice
Cox, K., Shi, G., Read, N., Ou, K., Liu, Z., Wu, J., Cendanawati, S., Powell, J. L. B., Nicholson, L., Dick, A. D. & Liu, J., 18 Jan 2025Research output: Other contribution
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Regulating systemic and local inflammation to shape high-fat diet-altered neuroretinal immune privilege
Liu, J. (Principal Investigator)
5/02/24 → 4/02/28
Project: Research
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Is there a causal link between primary open angle glaucoma and dementia?
Atan, D. (Principal Investigator), Davies, N. M. (Co-Principal Investigator), Kehoe, P. G. (Co-Principal Investigator) & Davey Smith, G. (Collaborator)
Project: Research
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The Impact on Memory of Epilepsy
Atan, D. (Principal Investigator), Urankar, K. (Collaborator), Sieradzan, K. A. (Collaborator), Goodfellow, M. (Collaborator), Lopes, M. A. (Collaborator), Zhang, J. (Collaborator), Patel, J. S. (Collaborator) & Chakravarty, M. (Collaborator)
Project: Research
Student theses
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A gene expression analysis of CD8 resident T cells in uveitis and related conditions
Martínez Robles, L. (Author), Nicholson, L. B. (Supervisor), 17 Jun 2025Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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An investigation into the roles of puberty, insulin signalling and the interrelationship between education and intelligence on myopia development
Gillies, M. (Author), Atan, D. (Supervisor), Hamilton-Shield, J. (Supervisor), Williams, C. E. M. (Supervisor) & Guggenheim, J. (Supervisor), 13 May 2025Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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How does the neural circuitry of the hippocampal dentate gyrus shape our memories?
Li, Y. (Author), Atan, D. (Supervisor) & Bashir, Z. I. (Supervisor), 18 Jun 2024Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
File
Prizes
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Acting President of UK Eye Genetics Group
Atan, D. (Recipient), 8 Nov 2019
Prize: Prizes, Medals, Awards and Grants
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ARVO Travel award
Woods, S. (Recipient) & Atan, D. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prizes, Medals, Awards and Grants
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ARVO Travel Award
Woods, S. (Recipient) & Atan, D. (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prizes, Medals, Awards and Grants
Datasets
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Data from: Fossil embryos from the Middle and Late Cambrian period of Hunan, south China
Dong, X.-P. (Contributor), Donoghue, P. C. J. (Contributor), Cheng, H. (Contributor) & Liu, J.-B. (Contributor), Dryad, 30 Oct 2012
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.f3050, http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.f3050
Dataset
Activities
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Advisory Board member for Siloton Limited
Atan, D. (Advisor)
7 Sept 2020 → …Activity: Consultancy types › Consultancy › Private
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UK Biobank Eyes and Vision Consortium meeting
Atan, D. (Participant)
7 Feb 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Insight into the Living Human Brain
Atan, D. (Participant)
2 Feb 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference