PhD in Vision Sciences and Optical Imaging Technologies. ESR 2: New Contact Lens Materials

General project´s description:

EYE is an ITN  project funded by the EC within the H2020 programme providing training and professional development to 5 Early Stage Researchers (ESR) in Vision Sciences and Optical Imaging Technologies. The duration of the contracts is 36 months. EYE is an industrial doctorate which implies that students will spend 50% of time working in a private sector. EYE-EID will provide to its students an unique opportunity to gain knowledge, skills, and experience through experimental optical training, computational simulation, and cutting-edge clinical applications. 

EYE counts with the participation of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) (Spain) with a multidisciplinary research involving Biochemistry, Physics, Optics and Vision Sciences areas, and two industrial partners: Mark'ennovy (United Kingdom), a leading European company specialized in the design, manufacture and sale of CL and Alain Afflelou (Portugal), an optical centres group, which will facilitate the interaction with the presbyopic population and clinicians.

The EYE project aims to analyse, simulate, improve and assess current presbyopia correction strategies in order to choose the optimal contact lens for each patient, offering new presbyopic solutions based on the eye-vision particularities of each person in a personalized way.

The research program will focus on:

(1) New designs of presbyopic contact lenses.

(2) New Contact Lens Materials.

(3) Computer modelling of eye response and adaptation to new contact lenses

(4) Validation of patient’s outcomes reports on global contact lens performance.

(5) Development of e-Health instruments and technologies for Big Bata analysis in contact lens for presbyopia.

ESR 2 POSITION. Project Title: New Contact Lens Materials

This position involves work for 18 months at private company, Mark'ennovy (United Kingdom), and 18 months at Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) (Spain).

The main aim of this project is to identify materials (other than silicone) that allow higher oxygen transmission compared to traditional hydrogels and investigate the compatibility of these materials for a CLs application e.g. transparency, biocompatibility etc. In parallel, molecules with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antinociceptive properties will be explored.