Augel

Keratoconus is a degenerative eye disease in which the cornea becomes thinner and gradually bulges into a cone-like shape leading to distorted vision. When progressed to advanced stages, many affected individuals may lose their eyesight despite modern medical treatments, as there is a global shortage of donor corneas. Pioneer Fellow Shuo Li is pursuing a new approach: a fully synthetic, customizable, and reversible cornea that almost perfectly mimics the properties and functions of natural tissue.

The implantation procedure is minimally invasive, uses established laser technologies, and can be precisely tailored to individual patients. During the Pioneer Fellowship, Shuo Li will complete the clinical prototype, conduct preclinical testing, and prepare for early clinical studies. This work will lay the foundation for an ETH spin-off that aims to restore vision for people with severe corneal diseases.