On 24 March 2026, the 7th Gießen + Marburg Retina Research Meeting brought together the groups of Prof. Knut Stieger, Prof. Diana Pauly, PD Dr. Markus Preising, Dr. Heidrun Deißler, and PD Dr. Moritz Lindner to discuss recent findings, ongoing projects, and future perspectives in retinal research. Once again, the meeting provided an excellent platform for scientific exchange and highlighted the strong collaborative network connecting retinal research activities in Marburg and Gießen.
What is particularly remarkable is the breadth of expertise represented within this consortium, covering some of the most dynamic areas of current retinal research. Presentations addressed pathomechanisms and treatment concepts for both wet and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as well as disease mechanisms and emerging therapeutic strategies for inherited retinal disorders. These included topics such as mechanism of action of angiogenesis inhibitors in neovascular diseases, the role of the complement system in retinal pigment epithelium cells, AAV-based gene augmentation, mRNA therapeutics, gene editing, and optogenetic approaches for vision restoration. The meeting clearly demonstrated how the Marburg-Gießen retina research network combines fundamental mechanistic insight with highly innovative translational strategies aimed at future clinical application and will foster vision research at these closely linked universities.
