A single cell sequencing approach to determine the heterogeneity, dynamics and cell fate decisions of retinal progenitor cells in vivo and in vitro
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Biosciences Institute
Abstract
Being told that you have a visual impairment that can't be treated can be difficult to accept but this is the burden that 285 million people worldwide must bear. 26% of global blindness is caused by dysfunction of the retina, which is the innermost, light sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye and is vital for light sensing and image processing. Dysfunction of retina and subsequent vision loss can occur through the effect of faulty genes we inherit from our parents as well as the accumulation of damage and the effect of various diseases throughout our lives. Our ability to prevent and treat vision loss is closely linked to our knowledge of "how our retinas form" and when and what is likely to go wrong. Our retinas develop mostly before birth; hence the availability of tissue to study from this time period is very limited. My group is in a unique position to bridge this gap, having access to human retinas through close and well established collaborations with the Human Developmental Biology Resource, which collects samples from aborted embryos and fetuses with the mother's consent. We also have the advantage of creating in the lab three-dimensional structures called "retinal organoids", which resemble the formation of human retina during development and contain the key retinal cell types. Our aim is to use both of these unique resources to understand how and when the retina forms and the role of genes that cause loss of vision when faulty.
Retina is a complex tissue and is composed of seven cell types: these emerge at different points during our development from a pool of progenitor cells, which in itself is heterogeneous with various subsets suggested to give rise to the different cell types in a concise progression through time. For this reason, it has been difficult to pinpoint the progenitor cells which give rise to all the cell types that make up the human retina with the traditional research methods that rely on studies of cell mixtures. Here we propose to use an important new technology called single cell analysis which allows us to look at which genes are turned on in each cell in the population. Gene expression at the single cell level is a very reliable tool for the precise categorisation of cells and allows us to identify types of cells that are not noticeable when looking under the microscope at their shape or position. We will use this as a first step to explore the molecular differences of individual retinal cells in both developing retinas and the retinal organoids generated in our lab. The use of advanced data analysis techniques will then allow us to build a catalogue of cell types and the genes that characterise them, to match the progenitors to the various cell types across development, to predict their ultimate fate and to assess how closely the lab generated retinal organoids mimic the development of human retina. Second, we will use the single cell sequencing data to reconstruct a lineage tree using bioinformatics tools. This approach organises cells in 'pseudo-time', predicting the order and mode in which cell fate decisions are made, enabling us to predict genes that occupy special positions around branch points of the tree. Third, we will apply a new approach, which allows us to correlate the gene expression profile of individual cells with their location in the retina, thus creating a spatial map of our retinas as they develop. This spatial map will allow us to validate the expression of key genes that are found near the branch points which may be important to understand the decision that progenitor cells make towards their final trip to become retinal cells. Finally, we will assess whether genes expressed around branch points play an active role in controlling cell fate decisions by manipulating their expression. The information will be available to all scientists and clinicians to help their understanding of retinal development and disease.
Retina is a complex tissue and is composed of seven cell types: these emerge at different points during our development from a pool of progenitor cells, which in itself is heterogeneous with various subsets suggested to give rise to the different cell types in a concise progression through time. For this reason, it has been difficult to pinpoint the progenitor cells which give rise to all the cell types that make up the human retina with the traditional research methods that rely on studies of cell mixtures. Here we propose to use an important new technology called single cell analysis which allows us to look at which genes are turned on in each cell in the population. Gene expression at the single cell level is a very reliable tool for the precise categorisation of cells and allows us to identify types of cells that are not noticeable when looking under the microscope at their shape or position. We will use this as a first step to explore the molecular differences of individual retinal cells in both developing retinas and the retinal organoids generated in our lab. The use of advanced data analysis techniques will then allow us to build a catalogue of cell types and the genes that characterise them, to match the progenitors to the various cell types across development, to predict their ultimate fate and to assess how closely the lab generated retinal organoids mimic the development of human retina. Second, we will use the single cell sequencing data to reconstruct a lineage tree using bioinformatics tools. This approach organises cells in 'pseudo-time', predicting the order and mode in which cell fate decisions are made, enabling us to predict genes that occupy special positions around branch points of the tree. Third, we will apply a new approach, which allows us to correlate the gene expression profile of individual cells with their location in the retina, thus creating a spatial map of our retinas as they develop. This spatial map will allow us to validate the expression of key genes that are found near the branch points which may be important to understand the decision that progenitor cells make towards their final trip to become retinal cells. Finally, we will assess whether genes expressed around branch points play an active role in controlling cell fate decisions by manipulating their expression. The information will be available to all scientists and clinicians to help their understanding of retinal development and disease.
Technical Summary
Retina is the innermost, light-sensitive layer of the tissue that lines the back of the eye and is vital for light sensing and image processing. Retina is comprised of six neuronal and one glial cell type, which are derived from heterogeneous and dynamic multipotent retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) in an orderly manner. A significant part of retinal development in humans occurs in utero, which poses logistical issues for systematic studies of human retinogenesis. My group has established close collaborations with the Human Developmental Biology Resource, which has enabled us to perform immunohistochemical and bulk transcriptional studies of human retinal development up to 20 post conception weeks. Utilizing our expertise in pluripotent stem cell biology, we are able to generate light-responsive retinal organoids, which contain all the key retinal cell types within a laminated structure that resembles the human retina. Notwithstanding these achievements, to date we have very little molecular information about human RPCs competency and/or heterogeneity during human retinal development both in vivo and in vitro. This application aims to utilize the most recent advances in single cell sequencing (RNA-Seq, ATAC-Seq and spatial transcriptomics) to determine the spectrum of transcriptional and chromatin accessibility profiles of human RPCs in time and space, and to identify key genes, whose function is essential for RPCs determination and differentiation. Using inducible lentiviral vectors proven to work in retinal organoids, we will manipulate the expression of these key genes and assess their function in RPCs maintenance and differentiation ability. Data generated from this project will be deposited into Data Coordination Platform contributing to the Human Cell Atlas and providing the scientific and clinical community with comprehensive datasets that can be further mined and exploited in the context of normal development, stem cell differentiation and retinal disease.
Planned Impact
Visual impairment is a significant healthcare challenge affecting 285 million people worldwide with 26% of these suffering from diseases of the retina. Retinal diseases impose a substantial burden, both in economic and personal terms upon our society; however to develop better ways of treating such diseases, we need a greater understanding of human retinal development and function. To date, most of our knowledge in this field has been inferred from animal models, which are unable to fully replicate human disease phenotypes due to anatomical, genetic and functional species-specific differences; thus there is a pressing need to improve our understanding of human retinogenesis in vivo, to identify the mechanisms that underlie human retinal disease and to improve tissue engineering of cells suitable for human transplantation in vitro. In this proposal we address the fundamental question of how retinal progenitor cells acquire their unique fate to build the whole retina during development. The project is multidisciplinary, combining biology, development, molecular and computational approaches and cuts across several BBSRC priority areas e.g. data driven biology, systems approaches to biosciences and technology development in biosciences and replacement, refinement and reduction in research using animals.
The proposed project will benefit various academic beneficiaries in the field of neuroscience, developmental, stem cell and systems biology and tissue engineering. Importantly, the project will benefit clinical researchers involved in cell replacement therapies and developmental disease. Our data will be published in open access journals, disseminated at national and international meetings and deposited in open access resources, enabling other users to mine the data in the context of their work; hence the benefits will occur during the course of the project as well as after the project has ended. The project will train highly skilled researchers in multi- disciplinary research, allowing them to acquire transferable skills such as organisation, critical thinking, analysis of large data sets, problem solving, modelling complex scenarios, cross-disciplinary interactions and collaboration. This will therefore contribute to strengthening the UK science and medicine by providing highly skilled personnel for the academic or private sector. Through our outreach activities, we will encourage young people to take up a career in science, thus supporting the UKs ambition for strong science underpinning growth of the economy, entrepreneurial activities and industrial development. The focus on computational skills will attract and train new researchers in the bioinformatics arena, which in the short term should alleviate the current shortage of skilled staff. In longer term, the data generated from this project will help to identify key genes, which may be used to mobilise progenitor cell or reprogram cell types from one to another in vivo as well as developing small molecule treatments. The work is innovative, cross disciplinary and at the forefront of biomedical science, so it will help to enhance the UKs scientific reputation.
The proposed project will benefit various academic beneficiaries in the field of neuroscience, developmental, stem cell and systems biology and tissue engineering. Importantly, the project will benefit clinical researchers involved in cell replacement therapies and developmental disease. Our data will be published in open access journals, disseminated at national and international meetings and deposited in open access resources, enabling other users to mine the data in the context of their work; hence the benefits will occur during the course of the project as well as after the project has ended. The project will train highly skilled researchers in multi- disciplinary research, allowing them to acquire transferable skills such as organisation, critical thinking, analysis of large data sets, problem solving, modelling complex scenarios, cross-disciplinary interactions and collaboration. This will therefore contribute to strengthening the UK science and medicine by providing highly skilled personnel for the academic or private sector. Through our outreach activities, we will encourage young people to take up a career in science, thus supporting the UKs ambition for strong science underpinning growth of the economy, entrepreneurial activities and industrial development. The focus on computational skills will attract and train new researchers in the bioinformatics arena, which in the short term should alleviate the current shortage of skilled staff. In longer term, the data generated from this project will help to identify key genes, which may be used to mobilise progenitor cell or reprogram cell types from one to another in vivo as well as developing small molecule treatments. The work is innovative, cross disciplinary and at the forefront of biomedical science, so it will help to enhance the UKs scientific reputation.
Publications

Armstrong L
(2023)
Editorial: Methods and advances in induced pluripotent stem cells-ophthalmology
in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Atkinson R
(2024)
PRPF8-mediated dysregulation of hBrr2 helicase disrupts human spliceosome kinetics and 5´-splice-site selection causing tissue-specific defects.
in Nature communications


Chichagova V
(2023)
Incorporating microglia-like cells in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal organoids.
in Journal of cellular and molecular medicine



Collin J
(2021)
Dissecting the Transcriptional and Chromatin Accessibility Heterogeneity of Proliferating Cone Precursors in Human Retinoblastoma Tumors by Single Cell Sequencing-Opening Pathways to New Therapeutic Strategies?
in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science

Collin Joseph
(2020)
Unravelling the heterogeneity of progenitor cells in the developing human retina through single cell analyses
in INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE

Dorgau B
(2022)
Human Retinal Organoids Provide a Suitable Tool for Toxicological Investigations: A Comprehensive Validation Using Drugs and Compounds Affecting the Retina.
in Stem cells translational medicine
Description | Being told that you have a visual impairment that can't be treated can be difficult to accept but this is the burden that 285 million people worldwide must bear. 26% of global blindness is caused by dysfunction of the retina, which is the innermost, light sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye and is vital for light sensing and image processing. Dysfunction of retina and subsequent vision loss can occur through the effect of faulty genes we inherit from our parents as well as the accumulation of damage and the effect of various diseases throughout our lives. Our ability to prevent and treat vision loss is closely linked to our knowledge of "how our retinas form" and when and what is likely to go wrong. Our retinas develop mostly before birth; hence the availability of tissue to study from this time period is very limited. My group is in a unique position to bridge this gap, having access to human retinas through close and well established collaborations with the Human Developmental Biology Resource, which collects samples from aborted embryos and fetuses with the mother's consent. We also have the advantage of creating in the lab three-dimensional structures called "retinal organoids", which resemble the formation of human retinas during development and contain the key retinal cell types. Retina is a complex tissue and is composed of seven cell types: these emerge at different points during our development from a pool of progenitor cells, which in itself is heterogeneous with various subsets suggested to give rise to the different cell types in a concise progression through time. For this reason, it has been difficult to pinpoint the progenitor cells which give rise to all the cell types that make up the human retina with the traditional research methods that rely on studies of cell mixtures. Here we used an important new technology called single cell analysis which allowed us to look at which genes are turned on in each cell in the population. Gene expression at the single cell level is a very reliable tool for the precise categorisation of cells and allows us to identify types of cells that are not noticeable when looking under the microscope at their shape or position. We have used this as a first step to explore the molecular differences of individual retinal cells in both developing retinas and the retinal organoids generated in our lab. The use of advanced data analysis techniques has allowed us to build a catalogue of cell types and the genes that characterise them, to match the progenitors to the various cell types across development to predict their ultimate fate and to assess how closely the lab generated retinal organoids mimic the development of human retina. Second, we have used the single cell sequencing data to reconstruct a lineage tree using bioinformatics tools. This approach organises cells in 'pseudo-time', predicting the order and mode in which cell fate decisions are made, enabling us to predict genes that occupy special positions around branch points of the tree. Third, we are applying a new approach, which allows us to correlate the gene expression profile of individual cells with their location in the retina, thus creating a spatial map of our retinas as they develop. This spatial map has allowed us to validate the expression of key genes that are found near the branch points which may be important to pinpoint the decision that progenitor cells make towards their final trip to become retinal cells. Finally, we have identified novel factors which control the differentiation of retinal progenitor cells towards all the other retinal cell types. During this work, we have identified for the first time the location of retinal progenitor cells during human retinal development: this has been a long debated topic without clear resolution until now due to lack of single cell technologies and human developing retinal tissue. Further, we have shown that retinal organoid development recapitulates at large the development of human retina, but with some differences in the abundance and emergence of some retinal cell types. We have made all the data and information available in open public databases enable all scientists and clinicians to help their understanding of retinal development and disease. |
Exploitation Route | The data we have generated will be submitted to publicly available open access databases allowing researchers within the Human Cell Atlas and those working in the retinal field to get new insights into retinal development and what may go wrong in retinal diseases. |
Sectors | Education Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
URL | http://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-3160527/v1 |
Description | Assessing SARS-CoV-2 entry, replication and prevention in a primary human conjunctival cell model and organ cultured cornea/conjunctiva. |
Amount | £195,489 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/V01126X/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2020 |
End | 02/2022 |
Description | Assessing the feasibility of pluripotent stem cell derived retinal organoids as a model system to test the safety and efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in retinoblastoma |
Amount | £50,500 (GBP) |
Funding ID | N/ |
Organisation | Childhood Eye Cancer Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2020 |
End | 04/2021 |
Description | Generation and transplantation of hypoimmunogenic pluripotent stem cell derived photoreceptor precursors into a mouse model of advanced retinal degeneration: a proof-of-concept study for the USH2A and RP treatment |
Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Retina UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2023 |
End | 05/2025 |
Description | Harnessing the power of patient specific organoids to discover new therapeutic treatments for Retinoblastoma |
Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Little Princess Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2025 |
Description | SCILS Consortium: "Studying Ciliary Signalling in Development and Disease" |
Amount | € 8,000,000 (EUR) |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 06/2020 |
End | 12/2023 |
Description | To assess the engraftment of hESC-derived photoreceptors and their ability to restore vision in early and advanced stages of Retinitis Pigmentosa. |
Amount | £1,100,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/X001687/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 08/2026 |
Description | To establish PRPF31-AAV based gene augmentation in RPE and photoreceptor cells and assess its efficacy in restoring RPE and photoreceptor function |
Amount | £299,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Retina UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2022 |
End | 06/2025 |
Title | RPE single cell RNA-Seq data |
Description | RPE single cell RNA-Seq data deposited to GEO for wide open use to other researchers |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | open access use of our fetal and adult RPE single cell data to the whole research community |
URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE210543 |
Title | single cell RNA -seq, ATAC-seq and ST data of human developing retina |
Description | single cell RNA -seq, ATAC-seq and ST data of human developing retina |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2024 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | These data are part of the HCA and are being used worldwide by other scientists to better understand retinal development and retinal disease. |
URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/GSE234971 |
Title | single cell RNA and ATAC-Seq of human fetal retina and Retinoblastoma tumours |
Description | single cell RNA and ATAC-Seq of human fetal retina and Retinoblastoma tumours |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | open access to scientific community |
URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE166175 |
Title | single cell RNA-Seq data of day 120 of human ESC and iPSC and those generated from RB1 null retinal organoids |
Description | single cell RNA-Seq data of day 120 of human ESC and iPSC and those generated from RB1 null retinal organoids |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | open access use of single cell RNA-Seq data to the whole scientific community:GSE173447 |
Title | single cell RNA-Seq data of late stage retinal organoids (day 200) |
Description | single cell RNA-Seq data from wild type retinal organoids and those treated with neurotoxins |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | open access to the whole scientific community |
URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/ |
Title | single cell RNA-Seq, ATAC-Seq and ST of human pluripotent stem cell derived retinal organoids |
Description | single cell RNA-Seq, ATAC-Seq and ST of human pluripotent stem cell derived retinal organoids |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2024 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | These data are part of the HCA and are being used worldwide by other scientists to optimise differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to retinal organoids. |
URL | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/GSE235577 |
Description | Collaboration with HDBR and Prof. Lindsay's group |
Organisation | Newcastle University |
Department | Institute of Genetic Medicine |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are using embryonic and fetal eye tissue for immunofluorescence and RNA-seq studies. |
Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Lindsay's group is providing the HDBR embryonic and fetal eye tissue for our research. |
Impact | manuscripts, scientific collaboration |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Testing of functionality of lab made retina using MEA |
Organisation | Newcastle University |
Department | Institute of Neuroscience |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are improving methods for generating hESC and hiPSC lab made retina. |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr. Sernagor's group is testing the functionality of lab made retina using MEA. |
Impact | collaboration, manuscript and further funding |
Start Year | 2009 |
Title | UK patent, GB 1913196.0: A method for producing photoreceptors using a retinal organoid model "cell culture). Inventors: Zerti D, Dorgau B and Lako M |
Description | method for generating cone or rod rich organoids |
IP Reference | UK patent, GB 1913196.0: A method for producing photoreceptors using a retinal organoid model "cell culture). Inventors: Zerti D, Dorgau B and Lako M |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2020 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | discussions to licence the technology are ongoing |
Description | Genetics matters |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Genetics Matters is an annual event organised by Newcastle University focusing on rare diseases and their diagnosis and treatment. My research team organises a table showcasing our work in eye disease and stem cells. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Genetics matters |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Genetics matters is an annual event organised by Newcastle University to celebrate Rare Disease Research day. Research groups organise a table each showcasing their work. Members of the public visit each table, engaging with the researchers and their projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Invited Speaker at the Department of Biological Sciences, Durham University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited speaker at University of Durham, talk focusing on application of retinal organoids for disease modelling, cell transplantation and drug discovery. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Invited speaker at ERN workshop ""New therapeutic approaches for inherited retinal diseases", Valencia, Spain, 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako was invited speaker at this event attended by members of the ERN consortium, patients and members of various retinal charities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Keynote speaker at Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tirana, Albania |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The talk focussed on SARS-CoV-2 entry factors, which were derived from our work on single cell RNA-Seq analyses of adult human cornea and conjunctiva. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Keynote speaker at Women in Vision UK Annual Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako was invited to give the Keynote lecture on this prestigious meeting that brings together UK women scientists working in vision research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Keynote speaker at the Organoid workshop, University of Leeds |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako delivered the keynote lecture on this organoid workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Member of Freigeist scientific fellowship assessment panel, December 2020 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | I was member of Freigeist scientific fellowship assessment panel, December 2020, evaluating long term fellowships focusing on pluripotent stem cell derived retinal organoids and applications. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Prof. Lako - invited speaker at the ERN-EYE 4th scientific workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako described her group's work on modelling rare disease in the lab using organoids and primary tumour tissue |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Prof. Lako Invited speaker at Western Balkan University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited talk at Western Balkan University focusing on single cell RNA-Seq of cornea and applications to SARS-CoV-2 entry into the ocular surface |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Prof. Lako invited to give a talk at the UCI Centre for Translational and Vision Research Distinguished Speakers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako delivered a research talk on this prestigious seminar series. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Prof. Lako key speaker at the Translational Scientist webinar organised by 10x genomics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako described her group's work on single cell sequencing of human adult and developing cornea. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Prof. Lako: Invited speaker at the European Single Cell Discovery Symposium 2022 The tale of a single cell Cambridge 26th May 2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Research talks focusing on application of single cell technologies to medical and clinical projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Prof. Lako: invited speaker University of Manchester |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako delivered a research talk focusing on application of retinal organoids for basic biology studies, disease modelling, cell transplantation and drug repurposing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Prof. Lako: invited speaker at the UK Eye Genetics Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako described her group's work on enrichment of LSCs and single cell analyses of adult human cornea. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Speaker at the The 3DMM2O Conference: 3D Hybrid Organotypic Systems |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | interesting and stimulating discussions following my talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Speaker at the WT/MRC HCA meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako presented the work performed on the single cell analyses of human adult and developing cornea and application to disease as part of the HCA project funded in her lab. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Speaker at the Winter Anatomy Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | > 100 RESEARCHERS ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE. I enjoyed the discussion after the talk, which sparked lots of interesting ideas. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | invited speaker at ISER 2023 Gold Coast Australia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako was session organiser and speaker at the ISER 2023 in Gold Coast Australia. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | • Keynote speaker at the 11th Mercia Stem Cell Alliance scientific meeting, Nottingham 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Prof. Lako invited to give the keynote lecture in this event attended by postgraduate students and industrial partners. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |