Devon Crouch, a PhD Student at the Department of Eye & Vision Science, University of Liverpool, has been recognised for his
novel approach to tackling glaucoma by the annual STEM for Britain parliamentary poster competition.
Devon won a gold medal for his poster showcasing how he managed to manufacture a biomaterial scaffold that mimics the eye’s trabecular meshwork’s complex structure and exhibited the materials ability to support cell attachment and growth. This device offers the potential to be a novel regenerative treatment for glaucoma.
Glaucoma is commonly known as the sneak thief of sight as it causes irreversible blindness. With over 60 million people worldwide suffering from glaucoma it is a leading cause of blindness.
Competition to be accepted to present at the STEM for Britain event is extremely tough and to win gold is a great achievement and highlights the high-quality research that is undertaken in the Department of Eye and Vision Science.
The event is designed to give members of both Houses of Parliament an insight into the outstanding research work being undertaken in UK universities by early-career researchers.
Receiving his award, Devon said: “It was a real honour to be selected to present at the STEM for Britain event and to win the gold medal for the biological and biomedical sciences category still hasn’t properly sank in.
“Members of Commons and Lords were really interested in the concept of regenerating tissues using a combination of biomaterials with cell therapy. It was an amazing experience that will bode me well for a career in research.”