Breaking New Ground
The Sharon Eccles Steele Center for Translational Medicine (SCTM) was founded in 2009 to effectively turn scientific discoveries into clinical diagnostic tools and therapies for patients suffering from blinding diseases.
The SCTM is primarily focused on developing treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision impairment among adults age 55 and over. AMD affects more than 20 million individuals in the United States, and its prevalence is projected to double by 2050. AMD causes a gradual loss of vision that results in significantly reduced quality of life and often depression. Progression to the late stage of AMD often leads to irreversible vision loss.
With the support of committed donors, SCTM Executive Director Gregory S. Hageman, PhD, and his team have turned a series of groundbreaking discoveries into scientifically sound strategies to prevent the onset of all forms of AMD or to slow their progression.
![From left, SCTM Executive Director Gregory S. Hageman, PhD; Sharon Eccles Steele; and Moran CEO Randall J Olson, MD.](public://migration/media/sctm-hageman-steele-olson.jpg)
News from the SCTM
Meet the First Patient to Test Moran's Gene Therapy for AMD in Utah
A Moran Eye Center age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patient recently became the first in Utah to test a new gene therapy developed by the SCTM.
Moran Eye Center Docs Named to 2024 Power List
The Ophthalmologist magazine has named five Moran Eye Center leaders in care and research, including SCTM Executive Director Gregory S. Hageman, PhD, to its 2024 Power List of the 100 most influential people in ophthalmology worldwide.
Gregory S. Hageman, PhD, Named Distinguished Professor
The University of Utah has awarded renowned age-related macular degeneration (AMD) researcher Gregory S. Hageman, PhD, the rank of distinguished professor.
Research Focuses on Protein Treatment Potential
The SCTM's latest AMD research points the field away from a liver-produced protein others had identified as a promising therapeutic target.
Review Provides the Latest on AMD for Doctors and Patients
The review in JAMA, co-authored by Moran Eye Center experts Monika Fleckenstein, MD, and Steffen Schmitz-Valckenberg, MD, includes the latest information on AMD risk factors, treatments, and much more.
New Federal Funding for AMD Research
Internationally renowned researchers Monika Fleckenstein and Steffen Schmitz-Valckenberg are forging new ground in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) research.
New Potential Therapy for AMD Identified
HtrA1 augmentation is a potential therapy for Chromosome 10-driven age-related macular degeneration.