Striatech News

In a genome-wide association study in East Asian populations, Jiang et al investigated genetic risk factors for pathological myopia (PM), a leading cause of blindness. They identified LILRB2 as a new candidate gene associated with PM. LILRB2 upregulation promotes fatty acid synthesis and lipid accumulation, leading to choroidal dysfunction and PM development, both in human patients and in mouse models. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of PM pathogenesis related to lipid metabolism disorders. Striatech’s Photorefractor was used to measure refraction errors in mice, while the Keratometer was employed to measure corneal curvature. These tools allowed for precise ocular measurements in the animal models, contributing to the understanding of PM’s genetic and physiological aspects.

This Journal Club by Janos Groh et al. covers white matter aging and neuro-immune interactions. Aging is associated with progressive white matter degeneration. Dysfunctional microglia drive the recruitment and retention of pathogenic CD8+ T cells through chemokine-mediated signaling, promoting neuroinflammation in aging white matter. Glial–immune interactions contribute to structural and functional decline, with microglia–immune crosstalk as a key driver of age-related neurodegeneration.

The Striatech Myopia Suite combines automated refractive state measurement and corneal curvature analysis into one seamless workflow. Developed with Prof. Frank Schaeffel, it enables precise, reliable data collection in small animal myopia research.

We’re excited to see how many research groups are presenting work at ARVO 2026 that includes Striatech technology. To help you navigate the packed program, we’ve highlighted selected talks and posters using our systems — organized by day and disease area.

Striatech is proud to support emerging researchers in ophthalmology through the Striatech Travel Grant, in collaboration with the ARVO Foundation for Eye and Vision Research. For 2026, we are delighted to recognize Yohei Yamashita from Kyoto Furitsu Ika Daigaku (Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine), Japan, as this year’s Travel Grant recipient.

Join Striatech at ARVO 2026 to connect with our team and explore the newest innovations across our product portfolio.

Striatech conducted an on‑site OptoDrum live demo at the University of Tartu, offering hands‑on insight into automated vision testing in a real laboratory environment. Hosted by Professor Mario Plaas and his research group, the session combined methodological discussion with practical experience in standardized visual function assessment. Similar on‑site demos are available to interested research groups upon request.

This Journal Club highlights research by Rachael Pearson et al. on photoreceptor transplantation. Photoreceptor transplantation has long been proposed as a strategy to restore vision, but in advanced retinal degeneration it remained unclear whether the inner retinal neurons could still accept and process new inputs from donor cells. The study shows that human pluripotent stem cell–derived cone photoreceptors can integrate into end-stage mouse retinas, drive retinal function, and induce behavioral responses, revealing that even severely degenerated retinas retain the capacity to remodel in response to healthy photoreceptors.

Striatech regularly shares concise summaries of recent publications where our solutions for neuroscience testing have been used. Now we’d love to feature your work and highlight new neuroscience insights.

2025 was a year of progress, collaboration and exchange within the vision science community. We are grateful for the trust of our partners and collaborators worldwide and proud to support new discoveries – including our continued contribution to the PRO RETINA Foundation, advancing research and patient care. With new projects on the horizon, we look forward to continuing this journey together in 2026.

This Journal Club features innovative research by Harvard’s Cepko lab, exploring gene-independent strategies to preserve vision in retinitis pigmentosa and other genetic forms of blindness. Using AAVs to enhance metabolic support, including MCT2 expression in retinal pigment epithelial cells, they preserved cone photoreceptors and maintained color and daylight vision across diverse genotypes.