Benjamin Mead

Dr. Benjamin Mead is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at Cardiff University's School of Optometry and Vision Sciences where he serves as Group Lead for the Exosome and Retinal Research Group. His laboratory develops novel therapies for traumatic and degenerative eye diseases including glaucoma, with a focus on stem cells and their secreted compounds to prevent retinal cell loss and preserve vision. He maintains a strong collaborative relationship with the National Eye Institute at the NIH in the USA.

Dr. Mead completed his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham (2008-2011), followed by a Masters in Biomedical Research (2011-2012), and a PhD in Traumatic and Degenerative Eye Disease (2012-2015) via the Alternative Format (PhD-by-publication). After his PhD, he held a Visiting Fellowship and later a Marie Curie EU Fellowship at the National Eye Institute, NIH, USA (2015-2019) before joining Cardiff University in 2020.

His research interests center on extracellular vesicle/exosome therapies for eye disease, mesenchymal stem cell treatment for glaucoma, molecular mechanisms of glaucoma, development of robust animal models for eye disease, central nervous system axon regeneration using the optic nerve as a model, and human embryonic stem cell-derived retina as an animal-free disease model. His work bridges basic science with therapeutic applications, particularly focusing on how exosomes can be harnessed for neuroprotection.

Analysis of Dr. Mead's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on extracellular vesicles and their therapeutic potential for retinal diseases, particularly glaucoma. His research spans from fundamental mechanisms of exosome action to translational applications, with increasing emphasis on drug delivery systems and clinical applications. The publications show strong collaboration with the National Eye Institute and demonstrate progression from basic research to potential therapeutic interventions.

Dr. Mead currently supervises multiple postgraduate students including Mariia Grudina, Esmahan Durmaz, and Matyas Kutnyanszky. His research has been supported by major funding sources including Fight for Sight, Glaucoma UK, Wellcome Trust, and BBSRC. He collaborates extensively with researchers at the University of Birmingham, National Institutes of Health, John Hopkins University, and other international institutions.

As leader of the Exosome and Retinal Research Group, Dr. Mead oversees laboratory work focused on developing new therapies for traumatic and degenerative eye diseases. His team works with various models including robust animal models and human retinal culture systems to better understand and treat conditions like glaucoma. The group maintains strong international connections, particularly with the National Eye Institute at NIH.