Uveitis Research Group

Overview

The Uveitis Research Group has a wide range of research activities from clinical trials, pre-clinical and translational studies. We also collaborate with industry partners in both these areas. These studies focus on clinical gaps in our understanding of disease pathogenesis as well as management.

We focus on all aspects of ocular inflammation and immunology research as well as oncology masquerades. We utilise in-vitro, and in-vivo approaches to try and improve our understanding of how a disease may be treated. Our clinical team also participates in international consensus uveitis committees and contributes to published guidelines for uveitis diagnosis and management.

Ongoing Projects

Clinician-Initiated

1. Precision medicine using single cell genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and lipidomics in fluid biopsies to diagnose and manage primary vitreoretinal lymphoma.
2. Role of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in hypertensive anterior uveitis (HAU): a potential biomarker of prolonged intraocular pressure elevation and chronicity of HAU.
3. Development of a novel metastatic mouse uveal melanoma cell line model for studying cancer immunotherapy resistance in vivo.
4. Understanding the immunomodulatory effects of Vitamin D in acute anterior uveitis.
5. Analysis of the effects of vitamin D on the immune system using a rat model of experimental autoimmune uveitis.

Industry-Initiated

1. A phase III, Multicenter, randomised, double-masked, sham-controlled study to investigate the efficacy, safety, Pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of RO7200220 administrered intravitrally in patients with uveitis macular edema.

Publications

1. Dick AD, Rosenbaum JT, Al-Dhibi HA, Belfort Jr R , Brézin AP, Chee SP, ..., Ziouzina O. Guidance on noncorticosteroid systemic immunomodulatory therapy in noninfectious uveitis: fundamentals of care for uveitis (FOCUS) initiative. Ophthalmology. 2018 May 1; 125 (5): 757-73.
2. group TITAN consensus guidelines. The Infectious Uveitis Treatment Algorithm Network (TITAN) Report 1—global current practice patterns for the management of Herpes Simplex Virus and Varicella Zoster Virus …. Eye. 2024; 38: 61–67.
3. group TITAN consensus guidelines. The Infectious Uveitis Treatment Algorithm Network (TITAN) Report 2—global current practice patterns for the management of Cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis. Eye. 2024; 38: 68–75.
4. Chew MCY, Wiryasaputra S, Wu M, Khor WB, Chan ASY. Incidence of COVID-19 vaccination-related uveitis and effects of booster dose in a tertiary uveitis referral centre. Frontiers in Medicine. 1835.
5. Tan WJ, Wang MM, Castagnoli PR, Tang T, Chan ASY, Lim TS. Single b-cell genomic analyses differentiate vitreoretinal lymphoma from chronic inflammation. Ophthalmology. 2021; 128 (7): 1079-1090.
6. Wang MM, Tan WJ, Lim TS, Chan ASY. PreservCyt is an optimal fixative that permits cytologic and molecular analyses of vitreoretinal lymphoma biopsies. Ocular Immunology and Inflammation. 29 (3): 430-439.
7. Tan WJ, Wang MM, Ricciardi-Castagnoli P, Chan ASY, Lim TS. Cytologic and molecular diagnostics for vitreoretinal lymphoma: current approaches and emerging single-cell analyses. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 2021; 7: 611017.
8. MM Wang, C Chen, MN Lynn, CR Figueiredo, WJ Tan, TS Lim, ..., Chan ASY. Applying Single-Cell Technology in Uveal Melanomas: Current Trends and Perspectives for Improving Uveal Melanoma Metastasis Surveillance and Tumor Profiling. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 2021; 7: 422.
9. Chia AYT, Ang GWX, Chan ASY, Chan WPW, Chong TKY, Leung YY. Managing psoriatic arthritis with inflammatory bowel disease and/or uveitis. Frontiers in Medicine. 1579.
10. Tan WJ, Wang MM, Ricciardi-Castagnoli P, Tang T, Chee SP, Lim TS, Chan ASY. Single-cell MYD88 sequencing of isolated B cells from vitreous biopsies aids vitreoretinal lymphoma diagnosis. 2019.
11. De Groot-Mijnes JDF, Chan ASY, Chee SP, Verjans GMGM. Immunopathology of virus-induced anterior uveitis. Ocular immunology and inflammation. 2018; 26 (3): 338-346.
12. Chan ASY, Mudhar H, Shen SY, Lang SS, Fernando M, Hilmy MH, ..., Al Jajeh I. Serum IgG2 and tissue IgG2 plasma cell elevation in orbital IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD): Potential use in IgG4-RD assessment. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017; 101 (11): 1576-1582.

Members

Head

Dr Anita Chan

Translational Research

• Dr Wu Meihui
• Ms Mona Wang Meng
• Ms Candice Ho
• Mr Sam Ngiam

Clinical Research

• Dr Wiryasaputra Shaan
• Dr Milton Chew
• Dr Loo Yun Hua
• Dr Samanthila Waduthantri
• Dr Kiew Sieh Yean
• Adj Prof Chee Soon Phaik (Visiting Consultant)
• Dr Jay Siak (Visiting Consultant)
• Adj Assoc Prof Rupesh Agrawal