Flinders researchers will take a big step towards developing effective treatments for dengue retinopathy – a serious eye impairment experienced by up to 10 per cent of people hospitalised with dengue virus.

Professor Justine Smith and co-investigator Associate Professor Jill Carr will use a Flinders Foundation Health Seed Grant to define molecular interactions between the mosquito-borne dengue virus and the cells that the virus moves through when it enters the retina to better understand how the virus causes dengue retinopathy.

Using human retinal cells and dengue virus strains isolated during recent epidemics, this research could help to develop effective treatment for this serious retina inflammation.

This research is made possible thanks to a generous supporter and generous donations from the community.

Project title: Dengue Virus Infection of Human Retinal Endothelium

Lead researcher: Professor Justine Smith