Genetics and Epidemiology of Diabetic Retinopathy (360G-Wellcome-220558_Z_20_Z)

Background Diabetic eye disease, or diabetic retinopathy (DR), is a common complication of diabetes. 1.5 million people in the UK have DR of whom 140,000 have sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR). STDR is a leading cause of blindness in working age people, associated with lifetime costs of up to ~£237,000 per patient. It remains unclear why some patients with DR progress to STDR while others do not. Individuals with a family member who has STDR are more likely to develop STDR themselves, implying that genetics play an important role. My approach My study aims to determine what factors influence the development of STDR. Genetic, dietary and other lifestyle information gathered from >26,000 participants with diabetes in the UK Biobank and EPIC Norfolk projects will be linked with their eye records from the National Diabetic Eye Screening Programme. My analysis will then compare patients who have STDR with those who do not. Expected impact of my work Understanding the underlying genetics of STDR may reveal biological targets for new treatments. My findings could also help improve healthcare resource allocation by better predicting which patients with diabetes are at highest risk of developing STDR, based on their individual genetic and non-genetic risk factors.