We meet two scientists who will collaborate through Fight for Sight’s UK Vision Research Network (UKVRN). We find that bringing together scientists across disciplines is a unique learning opportunity and could accelerate our progress.
Curiosity sits at the heart of all good science.
For two researchers working together through Fight for Sight’s UK Vision Research Network, that curiosity sits at the heart of a powerful collaboration focused on one of the leading causes of sight loss worldwide: diabetic retinopathy.
Dr Eleni Beli and Dr Paola Campagnolo are from different scientific backgrounds and different institutions but they share a fascination with the tiny blood vessels that keep our tissues healthy and what happens when those systems begin to fail.
This specific partnership, funded by Fight for Sight, shows how collaboration across seemingly different disciplines can open up new ways of understanding and treating eye disease.
What brings scientists from different disciplines together?
Dr Beli has a long-standing interest in the retina—the part of the eye that senses light.
“I love the retina as a tissue—how it works, its structure, and how all cells together complement each other to make the tissue functioning optimally,” said Dr Beli from Queen’s University Belfast.
She explained that her interest in diabetic retinopathy began during her post-doctoral research work in the labs of Julia Busik and Maria Grant in the United States.
Her work focuses on better understanding the role that ‘circadian rhythms’ – our internal biological clock – play in the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy.
“My whole vision for the lab is to learn how the circadian rhythms work in the retina and to apply this knowledge in how we treat eye diseases,” she explains. “We’re trying to understand how disruption of these clocks affects disease progression.”
How does a passion for heart research develop into an interest in vision loss?
By comparison, Paola’s scientific background is in vascular biology and regenerative medicine. Specifically, her work has focused on ‘cardiovascular’ or heart and blood vessels-related research, starting with her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Paolo Madeddu in Bristol.
While much of her previous work has focused on the heart, liver and infectious diseases, she has long wanted to apply these ideas to the retina.
Dr Campagnolo’s research focuses on how two types of cells that form the small vessels in the body (endothelial cells and pericytes) interact with each other to maintain stable blood vessels, and how this relationship breaks down in disease.
“My focus has always been on developing three-dimensional models of blood vessel cell interactions in a dish, to study how the various diseases change and disrupt this equilibrium, leading to bleeding and tissue malfunction.”
Although much of Dr Campagnolo’s work has been outside vision research, diabetes has remained a recurring theme.
“This is my first vision project,” she says. “But it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
The connection between their work became clear through a growing body of research showing that cells don’t just work side by side—they also keep time together.
Signals from one cell type can influence the biological clock of another. In the retina, where pericyte loss is an early hallmark of diabetic retinopathy, this kind of “clock miscommunication” could be a crucial missing piece of the puzzle.
How will collaboration accelerate discovery?
The UK Vision Research Network created the perfect environment for this idea to grow. Dr Beli and Dr Campagnolo bring skills from different disciplines.
Dr Beli’s lab brings expertise in retinal disease, circadian rhythms and working with animal models. Dr Campagnolo’s lab specialises in 3D human ‘spheroids’ formed by vascular cells. These models more closely reflect what happens in the human body and creates an alternative to animal models.
It is an important step towards faster and more effective translation into patient benefit.
At the centre of the project is a PhD student who will train across both institutions, thanks to the UKVRN Doctoral programme.
“The student will have the opportunity to train in two institutions and will be embedded in two complementary research realities; this project will provide knowledge exchange opportunities and training in distinct skill sets,” said Dr Campagnolo.
The successful student will gain hands-on experience in two distinct research environments, learning techniques that span molecular biology, advanced cell culture, circadian analysis and disease modelling. That kind of exposure is rare - and invaluable- for developing the next generation of vision scientists.
Why is it important to research diabetic retinopathy?
In the UK, around 1 in 3 people with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy. It is the most common cause of severe sight impairment in working-age people in England, Wales and Scotland. Prevalence is rising as diabetes rates rise and populations live longer.
Even with good blood sugar control, many people still develop diabetic retinopathy over time. Current treatments, such as injections and laser therapy, are effective for some but are expensive, invasive and not always accessible.
By focusing on early changes in blood vessel stability and biological timing, this research aims to uncover new ways to slow disease progression before severe vision loss occurs. If scientists can identify the signals that keep retinal cells working in sync, or restore them when they are lost, it could open the door to more affordable, preventative approaches in the future.
What is the role of Fight for Sight in researching diabetic retinopathy?
Vision research is underfunded compared to other disease areas.
Fight for Sight’s UKVRN is unique in seeking to fund people across disciplines and across institutions. By bringing people together, the hope is we’ll accelerate treatments.
Dr Beli has received funding from Diabetes UK, whom Fight for Sight has also collaborated with.
How is this helping to build the future of vision research
This partnership is about more than a single project. It is about building sustainable expertise, sharing knowledge across disciplines, and inspiring early-career researchers to stay in vision research. The models and methods developed here could be applied to other eye conditions, helping the whole field move forward.
At its core, the story is a simple one: when scientists collaborate, ask new questions together, and are supported by organisations committed to sight research, progress accelerates.
Through the UK Vision Research Network and the support of Fight for Sight and others, that progress brings us closer to a future where fewer people lose their sight to diabetic retinopathy.
