About the group

EYETEC conducts translational research on ocular diseases, with a primary focus on uveal melanoma.

The group integrates molecular biology, bioinformatics, and clinical research to elucidate disease mechanisms and identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Its methodological approaches include CRISPR-based technologies, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and liquid biopsy analyses of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) and extracellular vesicles.

In addition, the group investigates regenerative medicine and tissue engineering approaches for other ocular diseases.

The overarching aim is to improve diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment for the benefit of patients.

Projects

  • Novel Prognostic and predictive markers in Uveal MelanomA– The PUMA study
  • Genome and Epigenome editing of human uveal melanocytes by CRISPR-Cas9 to induce and study the effect of changes observed in uveal melanoma
  • Spatial transcriptomics av uvealt melanom; avdekke mekanismer og markører for metastatisk spredning og utvikle en ny metode for prognose og predikativ behandling
  • The role of extracellular vesicles in uveal melanoma
  • Lens capsule modulation upon treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factors
  • Targeting epigenetic status of human limbal epithelial stem cells to improve ocular surface reconstruction
  • Tissue engineering of cornea endothelium- different culture methods, iPSC technology and use of different scaffolds
  • Forbedret diagnostikk av synstruende øyesykdommer ved bruk av Droplet Digital PCR
  • Pseudoexfoliation syndrome part IV: Follow-up of patients dead of neoplasms

Cooperation

Our group collaborates with a number of national and international partners.

National

  • Xavier Tekpli, Project group leader, Researcher
  • Jürgen Geisler, Professor, Group leader. UiO and Ahus
  • Vessela N. Kristensen, Professor, Group leader, Ullevål universitetssykehus
  • Øystein Garred, MD, PhD, Ullevål universitetssykehus
  • Leonardo Meza-Zepeda, PhD, Project leader of Translational Genomics group, Head of the HSØ and University of Oslo Genomics Core Facility, and Head of the Department of Core Facilities at the Institute for Cancer Research
  • Kulbhushan Sharma, PhD, Leader Stem cell facility, Senior Researcher and PI, Epigen
  • Francesca Micci, PhD, Head of the Section for Cancer Cytogenetics, Oslo University Hospital

International

  • Stefano Ferrari, PhD, Head of the Research Centre of the Veneto Eye Bank Foundation (FBOV; http://research.fbov.org)
  • Roger Olofsson Bagge, Professor, Senior consultant surgeon and Group leader at Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research and The Wallenberg Center for Molecular and Translational Medicine Group, University of Gothenburg
  • Rossella Crescitelli, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research.

Selected publications

  • Delayed Distant Recurrence of a Uveal Melanoma 4 Decades after Enucleation. Eide NA*, Noer A*, Jespersen H, Jebsen P, Geisler J. Case Rep Oncol. 2024 Oct 9;17(1):1131-1139. doi: 10.1159/000541341. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.PMID: 39474560 Free PMC article.*=shared first author
  • A Novel Technique of Amniotic Membrane Preparation Mimicking Limbal Epithelial Crypts Enhances the Number of Progenitor Cells upon Expansion. Bisevac J, Moe MC, Drolsum L, Kristianslund O, Petrovski G, Noer A. Cells. 2023 Feb 24;12(5):738. doi: 10.3390/cells12050738.PMID: 36899873
  • Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Activation Induces Differentiation in Human Limbal Epithelial Stem Cells Cultured Ex Vivo. Bisevac J, Katta K, Petrovski G, Moe MC, Noer A. Biomedicines. 2023 Jun 26;11(7):1829. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11071829.PMID: 37509479
  • Integrated differential DNA methylation and gene expression of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded uveal melanoma specimens identifies genes associated with early metastasis and poor prognosis. Ness C, Katta K, Garred Ø, Kumar T, Olstad OK, Petrovski G, Moe MC, Noer A. Exp Eye Res. 2021 Feb;203:108426. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108426. Epub 2020 Dec 30.PMID: 33387485
  • Multicellular tumor spheroids of human uveal melanoma induce genes associated with anoikis resistance, lipogenesis, and SSXs. Ness C, Garred Ø, Eide NA, Kumar T, Olstad OK, Bærland TP, Petrovski G, Moe MC, Noer A. Mol Vis. 2017 Oct 3;23:680-694. eCollection 2017.PMID: 29033534.