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About Dr Cynthia Yu-Wai-Man

Dr Cynthia Yu-Wai-Man MBBS FRCOphth PhD is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Clinician Scientist with expertise in glaucoma and cataract, who has undertaken joint clinical and academic training in ophthalmology at King's College London & St Thomas' Hospital and University College London & Moorfields Eye Hospital.

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She qualified from Newcastle University in 2005 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (London) in 2013. In 2014, she was awarded a prestigious NIHR UCL Francis Crick Institute Clinical Research Fellowship and spent three years researching how to improve the success rate in glaucoma surgery at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital (PhD 2014-2017).

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In 2019, she was awarded a prestigious King's Prize Fellowship and she has set up her independent research lab. She has completed her subspecialty surgical fellowship in glaucoma at St Thomas' Hospital (London). She is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and specialises in cataract surgery and in the medical, laser and surgical management of glaucoma. In 2020, she has also received a highly coveted Medical Research Council Clinician Scientist Award.

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Dr Yu-Wai-Man has been awarded over £2.5 millions in research funding over the last four years. She leads the Glaucoma and Therapeutics Lab at King's College London. She has set up a unique UK Glaucoma BioResource of RNA, DNA and tissue samples from glaucoma patients, linked to detailed longitudinal phenotyping, which will open unprecedented avenues for translational research and future collaborations. She is also the Chief Investigator of advanced therapeutics and nanomedicine in glaucoma surgery. She has published many peer-reviewed publications and receives several invitations to speak and chair conferences internationally.

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Funders

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QUALIFICATIONS

  • PhD 2017 Doctor of Philosophy (University College London)

  • FRCOphth 2013 Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (London)

  • MBBS 2005 Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery (Newcastle University)

Professional Memberships

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

  • Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (London)

  • Member of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

  • Member of the World Glaucoma Congress

  • Member of the World Ophthalmology Congress

  • Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology

  • Member of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy

  • Member of the General Medical Council

Awards

AWARDS

  • MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship (PI), 2020-2024; £1.5 million

  • Innovate UK Project Grant (Co-I), 2020-2022; £494,648

  • King’s Prize Fellowship (PI), 2019-2020; £134,612

  • Imperial MSc in Developmental Sciences Studentships (PI), 2020; £5,000

  • NIHR CRN London Strategic Greenshoots Funding (PI), 2019-2020; £12,500

  • Moorfields Eye Charity Project Grant (Co-I), 2017-2018; £82,402

  • MRC Confidence-in-Concept Project Grant (PI), 2016-2017; £100,000

  • UCL MSc in Gene Therapy Studentship (Co-I), 2017; £2,500

  • ARVO International Travel Research Grant (PI), 2016; $1,100

  • EUREKA Fellowship in Translational Medicine (PI), 2015; €2,500

  • NIHR UCL Francis Crick Institute Clinical Research Fellowship (PI), 2014-2017; £190,000

  • North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society Best Oral Presentation Prize, 2013; $750

  • International Ophthalmology Society Best Research Poster Prize, 2012; $200

  • Royal College of Ophthalmologists Ivor Levy Research Prize, 2011; £250

Publications

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

  • Fernando O, Tagalakis AD, Awwad S, Brocchini S, Khaw PT, Hart SL, Yu-Wai-Man C. Development of targeted siRNA nanocomplexes to prevent fibrosis in experimental glaucoma filtration surgery. Mol Ther. 2018 Dec 5; 26(12): 2812-2822.

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  • Liang Y, Peng J, Li N, Yu-Wai-Man C, Wang Q, Xu Y, Wang H, Tagalakis AD, Du Z. Smart Nanoparticles Assembled by Endogenous Molecules for siRNA Delivery and Cancer Therapy via CD44 and EGFR Dual-targeting. Nanomedicine. 2019 Jan; 15(1): 208-217.

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  • Tagalakis AD, Madaam S, Larsen SD, Neubig RR, Khaw PT, Rodrigues IA, Goyal S, Lim KS, Yu-Wai-Man C. In vitro and in vivo delivery of a sustained release nanocarrier-based formulation of an MRTF/SRF inhibitor in conjunctival fibrosis. J Nanobiotechnology. 2018 Nov 27; 16(1): 97.​

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Arno G, Brookes J, Garcia-Feijoo J, Khaw PT, Moosajee M. Primary congenital glaucoma including next-generation sequencing-based approaches: clinical utility gene card. Eur J Hum Genet. 2018 Nov; 26(11): 1713-1718.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Tagalakis AD, Meng JH, Bouremel Y, Lee RM, Virasami A, Hart SL, Khaw PT. Genotype-phenotype associations of IL-6 and PRG4 with conjunctival fibrosis after glaucoma surgery. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2017 Nov 1; 135(11): 1147-1155.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Owen N, Lees J, Tagalakis AD, Hart SL, Webster AR, Orengo CA, Khaw PT. Genome-wide RNA-Sequencing analysis identifies a distinct fibrosis gene signature in the conjunctiva after glaucoma surgery. Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 17; 7(1): 5644. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-05780-5.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Spencer-Dene B, Lee RM, Hutchings K, Lisabeth EM, Treisman R, Bailly M, Larsen SD, Neubig RR, Khaw PT. Local delivery of novel MRTF/SRF inhibitors prevents scar tissue formation in a preclinical model of fibrosis. Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 31; 7(1): 518.

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  • Tagalakis AD, Maeshima R, Yu-Wai-Man C, Meng J, Syed F, Wu LP, Aldossary AM, McCarthy D, Moghimi SM, Hart SL. Peptide and nucleic acid-directed self-assembly of cationic nanovehicles through giant unilamellar vesicle modification: targetable nanocomplexes for in vivo nucleic acid delivery. Acta Biomater. 2017 Mar 15; 51: 351-362.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Treisman R, Khaw PT, Bailly M. Targeting the MRTF/SRF gene transcription pathway in conjunctival fibrosis in glaucoma. Lancet. 2016; 387: S111, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00498-0.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Khaw PT. Personalised medicine in ocular fibrosis: myth or future biomarkers. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2016; 5(9): 390-402.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Tagalakis AD, Manunta MD, Hart SL, Khaw PT. Receptor-targeted liposome-peptide-siRNA nanoparticles represent an efficient delivery system for MRTF silencing in conjunctival fibrosis. Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 24; 6: 21881; doi: 10.1038/srep21881.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Khaw PT. Developing novel anti-fibrotic therapeutics to modulate post-surgical wound healing in glaucoma: big potential for small molecules. Expert Rev Ophthalmol. 2015; 10(1): 65-76.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Treisman R, Bailly M, Khaw PT. The role of the MRTF-A/SRF pathway in ocular fibrosis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014; 55(7): 4560-4567.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Smith FE, Firbank MJ, Guthrie G, Guthrie S, Gorman GS, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM, Griffiths PG, Blamire AM, Chinnery PF, Yu-Wai-Man P. Extraocular muscle atrophy and CNS involvement in chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. PLoS One. 2013; 8(9): e75048.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Petheram K, Davidson AW, Williams T, Griffiths PG. A supranuclear disorder of ocular motility as a rare initial presentationof motor neurone disease. Neuro-ophthalmology. 2011; 35(1): 38-39.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Steel D. Visual survival after open globe injury predicted by the Ocular Trauma Score and the Classification and Regression Tree Analysis. Eye (Lond). 2010; 24(1): 84-89.

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  • Longley MJ, Clark S, Yu-Wai-Man C, Hudson G, Durham SE, Taylor RW, Nightingale S, Turnbull DM, Copeland WC, Chinnery PF. Mutant POLG2 disrupts DNA polymerase g subunits and causes progressive external ophthalmoplegia. Am J Hum Genet. 2006; 78: 1026-1034.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Chinnery PF, Griffiths PG. Extraocular muscles have fundamentally distinct properties that make them selectively vulnerable to certain disorders. Neuromuscul Disord. 2005; 15(1): 17-23.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Smith T, Chinnery PF, Turnbull DM, Griffiths PG. Assessment of visual function in chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. Eye (Lond). 2006; 20(5): 564-568.

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  • Yu-Wai-Man C, Chinnery PF, Griffiths PG. Optic neuropathies- Importance of spatial distribution of mitochondria as well as function. Med Hypotheses. 2005; 65(6): 1038-1042.

Presentations

PRESENTATIONS

  • ‘Developing targeted nanomedicine in glaucoma surgery’ Glaucoma 360, San Francisco (February 2020).

 

  • ‘Development of a novel sustained release nanocarrier-based formulation of an MRTF/SRF inhibitor to prevent conjunctival fibrosis’ ARVO, Vancouver (May 2019).

 

  • ‘In vitro and in vivo delivery of a sustained release nanocarrier-based formulation of an MRTF/SRF inhibitor in conjunctival fibrosis’ World Glaucoma Congress, Melbourne (May 2019).

 

  • ‘What is Translational Medicine’ Apollo London, UK (October 2018).

 

  • ‘Development of targeted siRNA nanotherapeutics to prevent fibrosis in experimental glaucoma filtration surgery’ ARVO, Hawaii (May 2018).

 

  • ‘Genome-wide RNA-Sequencing analysis reveals a distinct fibrosis gene signature in the conjunctiva after glaucoma surgery’ ARVO, Baltimore (May 2017).

 

  • ‘To scar or not to scar- ask your genes’ Moorfields Alumni meeting, London (March 2017).

 

  • ‘Novel MRTF/SRF pathway inhibitors prevent conjunctival scarring after glaucoma filtration surgery: An ex vivo and in vivo study’ ARVO, Seattle (May 2016).

 

  • ‘Targeting the MRTF/ SRF gene transcription pathway in ocular fibrosis’ Michigan State University, USA (April 2016).

 

  • ‘Targeting the MRTF/ SRF gene transcription pathway in conjunctival fibrosis in glaucoma’ Academy of Medical Sciences Meeting, London (February 2016).

 

  • ‘Downregulating the Myocardin-related transcription factor/ Serum response factor (MRTF/ SRF) pathway is a novel therapeutic approach to prevent post-surgical fibrosis in glaucoma’ World Ophthalmology Congress, Mexico (February 2016).

 

  • ‘Scar wars: Transcription factors open our Eyes to new treatments’ NIHR Doctoral Research Training Camp, UK (July 2015).

 

  • ‘Developing novel gene therapeutic targets in ocular fibrosis’ UCL SLMS Clinical Academic Training Meeting, London (October 2014).

 

  • ‘Extraocular muscle atrophy and CNS involvement in progressive external ophthalmoplegia’ North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society Meeting, Utah (February 2013).

 

  • ‘Long-term efficacy of botulinum toxin in the treatment of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm’ RCOphth Congress, Liverpool (May 2012).

 

  • ‘Supranuclear disorders of ocular motility’ UK Neuro-Ophthalmology Special Interest Group, Birmingham (March 2011).

 

  • ‘Investigation of Chronic Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia using Functional MRS’ AAO, Chicago (October 2010).

 

  • ‘Visual outcome after open globe injury- A comparison of two prognostic models: The Ocular Trauma Score and the Classification and Regression Tree’ AAO, San Francisco (October 2009).

 

  • ‘Riboflavin/ UVA induced collagen cross-linking for the treatment of keratoconus’ SOE, Amsterdam (June 2009).

 

  • ‘Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy: success rate and cost-efficiency over the external approach’ RCOphth Congress, Liverpool (May 2008).

 

  • ‘Mutation of POLG2 causes progressive external ophthalmoplegia characterised by mtDNA deletions’ International Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, Tokyo (December 2006).

 

  • ‘Assessment of visual function in chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia’ RCOphth Congress, Birmingham (May 2005).

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