Mark Hankins

Mark Hankins is a Professor of Visual Neuroscience and Associate Head of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology (NLO) at the University of Oxford, with a Visiting Professor appointment in Bioengineering at Imperial College London. His career spans foundational research in visual physiology and translational optogenetics.

Education:

• BSc in Biophysics
• PhD in Biophysics (Imperial College London)

Research Interests focus on light-dependent signaling in the retina and brain, non-visual light detection, and melanopsin-based optogenetics for vision restoration. His work bridges retinal biology, regenerative medicine, and neurotechnology.

Recent Publications (2025–2022) highlight advancements in optogenetic therapies for retinal degeneration, retinal remodeling, and translational challenges in prosthetic devices. Key themes include retinal prosthetics, gene therapy, and neural engineering.

Scientific Awards include

• Wellcome Trust Vision Fellowship
• Grants from MRC, BBSRC, and Hoffman-La Roche

Students and Collaborators include postdoctoral researchers and doctoral candidates funded by Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, and EPSRC. He leads the Retinal Neurobiology and Optogenetics Group at Oxford, with collaborations at Cambridge and Manchester.