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Dr Benjamin Mead
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor)
School of Optometry and Vision Sciences
- MeadB@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29208 70502
- Optometry and Vision Sciences, Room 2.38, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I am Group Lead for the Exosome and Retinal Research Group. In my laboratory we develop new therapies to better treat traumatic and degenerative eye diseases, including glaucoma. Our research focuses on the use of stem cells and their secreted compounds to prevent cellular loss in the retina and preserve vision. Of particular interest to me are exosomes, small extracellular vesicles that are secreted from cells and appear to possess remarkable therapeutic potential. Our work also seeks to better model eye disease, either with more robust animal models or through the utilization of human retinal culture systems.
We collaborate closely with the National Eye Institute, NIH, USA. I am happy to communicate with individuals seeking to learn more about my work along with any potential collaborators or prospective students.
Publication
2023
- Chow, L. L. and Mead, B. 2023. Extracellular vesicles as a potential therapeutic for age-related macular degeneration. Neural Regeneration Research 18(9), pp. 1876-1880. (10.4103/1673-5374.367835)
2022
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2022. The role of miRNA in retinal ganglion cell health and disease. Neural Regeneration Research 17(3), pp. 516-522. (10.4103/1673-5374.320974)
2021
- Mead, B., Kerr, A., Nakaya, N. and Tomarev, S. I. 2021. miRNA Changes in retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush and glaucomatous damage. Cells 10(7), article number: 1564. (10.3390/cells10071564)
2020
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2020. Extracellular vesicle therapy for retinal diseases. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research 79, article number: 100849 Volume 79, November 2020, 100849. (10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100849)
- Mead, B., Cullather, E., Nakaya, N., Niu, Y., Kole, C., Ahmed, Z. and Tomarev, S. 2020. Viral delivery of multiple miRNA promotes retinal ganglion cell survival and functional preservation after optic nerve crush injury. Experimental Eye Research 197, article number: 108071. (10.1016/j.exer.2020.108071)
- Mead, B., Chamling, X., Zack, D. J., Ahmed, Z. and Tomarev, S. 2020. TNFα-mediated priming of mesenchymal stem cells enhances their neuroprotective effect on retinal ganglion cells. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 61, article number: 6. (10.1167/iovs.61.2.6)
2018
- Mead, B., Ahmed, Z. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles promote neuroprotection in a genetic DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59(13), pp. 5473-5480. (10.1167/iovs.18-25310)
- Hill, L. J. et al. 2018. TGF-beta-induced IOP elevations are mediated by RhoA in the early but not the late fibrotic phase of open angle glaucoma. Molecular Vision 24, pp. 712-726.
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection by growth factors and exosomes: Lessons from mesenchymal stem cells. Neural Regeneration Research 13(2), pp. 228-229. (10.4103/1673-5374.226392)
- Mead, B., Amaral, J. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles promote neuroprotection in rodent models of glaucoma. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59(2), pp. 702-714. (10.1167/iovs.17-22855)
2017
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2017. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes promote survival of retinal ganglion cells through miRNA-dependent mechanisms. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 6(4), pp. 1273-1285. (10.1002/sctm.16-0428)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2017. Concise review: dental pulp stem cells: a novel cell therapy for retinal and central nervous system repair. Stem Cells 35(1), pp. 61-67. (10.1002/stem.2398)
2016
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2016. Evaluating retinal ganglion cell loss and dysfunction. Experimental Eye Research 151, pp. 96-106. (10.1016/j.exer.2016.08.006)
- Mead, B. et al. 2016. Mesenchymal stromal cell-mediated neuroprotection and functional preservation of retinal ganglion cells in a rodent model of glaucoma. Cytotherapy 18(4), pp. 487-496. (10.1016/j.jcyt.2015.12.002)
2015
- Hill, L. J. et al. 2015. Decorin reduces itraocular pressure and retinal ganglion cell loss in rodents through fibrolysis of the scarred trabecular meshwork. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 56(6), pp. 3743-3757. (10.1167/iovs.14-15622)
- Mead, B., Berry, M., Logan, A., Scott, R. A. H., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2015. Stem cell treatment of degenerative eye disease. Stem Cell Research 14(3), pp. 243-257. (10.1016/j.scr.2015.02.003)
- Mead, B. and Scheven, B. A. 2015. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection and axon regeneration. Neural Regeneration Research 10(3), pp. 371-373. (10.4103/1673-5374.153681)
2014
- Mead, B., Thompson, A., Scheven, B. A., Logan, A., Berry, M. and Leadbeater, W. 2014. Comparative evaluation of methods for estimating retinal ganglion cell loss in retinal sections and wholemounts. PLoS ONE 9(10), article number: e110612. (10.1371/journal.pone.0110612)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2014. Paracrine-mediated neuroprotection and neuritogenesis of axotomised retinal ganglion cells by human dental pulp stem cells: comparison with human bone marrow and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. PLoS ONE 9(10), article number: e109305. (10.1371/journal.pone.0109305)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2014. Dental pulp stem cells, a paracrine-mediated therapy for the retina. Neural Regeneration Research 9(6), pp. 577-578. (10.4103/1673-5374.130089)
2013
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2013. Intravitreally transplanted dental pulp stem cells promote neuroprotection and axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 54(12), pp. 7544-7556. (10.1167/iovs.13-13045)
Articles
- Chow, L. L. and Mead, B. 2023. Extracellular vesicles as a potential therapeutic for age-related macular degeneration. Neural Regeneration Research 18(9), pp. 1876-1880. (10.4103/1673-5374.367835)
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2022. The role of miRNA in retinal ganglion cell health and disease. Neural Regeneration Research 17(3), pp. 516-522. (10.4103/1673-5374.320974)
- Mead, B., Kerr, A., Nakaya, N. and Tomarev, S. I. 2021. miRNA Changes in retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush and glaucomatous damage. Cells 10(7), article number: 1564. (10.3390/cells10071564)
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2020. Extracellular vesicle therapy for retinal diseases. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research 79, article number: 100849 Volume 79, November 2020, 100849. (10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100849)
- Mead, B., Cullather, E., Nakaya, N., Niu, Y., Kole, C., Ahmed, Z. and Tomarev, S. 2020. Viral delivery of multiple miRNA promotes retinal ganglion cell survival and functional preservation after optic nerve crush injury. Experimental Eye Research 197, article number: 108071. (10.1016/j.exer.2020.108071)
- Mead, B., Chamling, X., Zack, D. J., Ahmed, Z. and Tomarev, S. 2020. TNFα-mediated priming of mesenchymal stem cells enhances their neuroprotective effect on retinal ganglion cells. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 61, article number: 6. (10.1167/iovs.61.2.6)
- Mead, B., Ahmed, Z. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles promote neuroprotection in a genetic DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59(13), pp. 5473-5480. (10.1167/iovs.18-25310)
- Hill, L. J. et al. 2018. TGF-beta-induced IOP elevations are mediated by RhoA in the early but not the late fibrotic phase of open angle glaucoma. Molecular Vision 24, pp. 712-726.
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection by growth factors and exosomes: Lessons from mesenchymal stem cells. Neural Regeneration Research 13(2), pp. 228-229. (10.4103/1673-5374.226392)
- Mead, B., Amaral, J. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles promote neuroprotection in rodent models of glaucoma. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59(2), pp. 702-714. (10.1167/iovs.17-22855)
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2017. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes promote survival of retinal ganglion cells through miRNA-dependent mechanisms. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 6(4), pp. 1273-1285. (10.1002/sctm.16-0428)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2017. Concise review: dental pulp stem cells: a novel cell therapy for retinal and central nervous system repair. Stem Cells 35(1), pp. 61-67. (10.1002/stem.2398)
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2016. Evaluating retinal ganglion cell loss and dysfunction. Experimental Eye Research 151, pp. 96-106. (10.1016/j.exer.2016.08.006)
- Mead, B. et al. 2016. Mesenchymal stromal cell-mediated neuroprotection and functional preservation of retinal ganglion cells in a rodent model of glaucoma. Cytotherapy 18(4), pp. 487-496. (10.1016/j.jcyt.2015.12.002)
- Hill, L. J. et al. 2015. Decorin reduces itraocular pressure and retinal ganglion cell loss in rodents through fibrolysis of the scarred trabecular meshwork. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 56(6), pp. 3743-3757. (10.1167/iovs.14-15622)
- Mead, B., Berry, M., Logan, A., Scott, R. A. H., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2015. Stem cell treatment of degenerative eye disease. Stem Cell Research 14(3), pp. 243-257. (10.1016/j.scr.2015.02.003)
- Mead, B. and Scheven, B. A. 2015. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection and axon regeneration. Neural Regeneration Research 10(3), pp. 371-373. (10.4103/1673-5374.153681)
- Mead, B., Thompson, A., Scheven, B. A., Logan, A., Berry, M. and Leadbeater, W. 2014. Comparative evaluation of methods for estimating retinal ganglion cell loss in retinal sections and wholemounts. PLoS ONE 9(10), article number: e110612. (10.1371/journal.pone.0110612)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2014. Paracrine-mediated neuroprotection and neuritogenesis of axotomised retinal ganglion cells by human dental pulp stem cells: comparison with human bone marrow and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. PLoS ONE 9(10), article number: e109305. (10.1371/journal.pone.0109305)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2014. Dental pulp stem cells, a paracrine-mediated therapy for the retina. Neural Regeneration Research 9(6), pp. 577-578. (10.4103/1673-5374.130089)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2013. Intravitreally transplanted dental pulp stem cells promote neuroprotection and axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 54(12), pp. 7544-7556. (10.1167/iovs.13-13045)
- Mead, B., Ahmed, Z. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles promote neuroprotection in a genetic DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59(13), pp. 5473-5480. (10.1167/iovs.18-25310)
- Hill, L. J. et al. 2018. TGF-beta-induced IOP elevations are mediated by RhoA in the early but not the late fibrotic phase of open angle glaucoma. Molecular Vision 24, pp. 712-726.
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection by growth factors and exosomes: Lessons from mesenchymal stem cells. Neural Regeneration Research 13(2), pp. 228-229. (10.4103/1673-5374.226392)
- Mead, B., Amaral, J. and Tomarev, S. 2018. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles promote neuroprotection in rodent models of glaucoma. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 59(2), pp. 702-714. (10.1167/iovs.17-22855)
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2017. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes promote survival of retinal ganglion cells through miRNA-dependent mechanisms. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 6(4), pp. 1273-1285. (10.1002/sctm.16-0428)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2017. Concise review: dental pulp stem cells: a novel cell therapy for retinal and central nervous system repair. Stem Cells 35(1), pp. 61-67. (10.1002/stem.2398)
- Mead, B. and Tomarev, S. 2016. Evaluating retinal ganglion cell loss and dysfunction. Experimental Eye Research 151, pp. 96-106. (10.1016/j.exer.2016.08.006)
- Mead, B. et al. 2016. Mesenchymal stromal cell-mediated neuroprotection and functional preservation of retinal ganglion cells in a rodent model of glaucoma. Cytotherapy 18(4), pp. 487-496. (10.1016/j.jcyt.2015.12.002)
- Hill, L. J. et al. 2015. Decorin reduces itraocular pressure and retinal ganglion cell loss in rodents through fibrolysis of the scarred trabecular meshwork. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 56(6), pp. 3743-3757. (10.1167/iovs.14-15622)
- Mead, B., Berry, M., Logan, A., Scott, R. A. H., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2015. Stem cell treatment of degenerative eye disease. Stem Cell Research 14(3), pp. 243-257. (10.1016/j.scr.2015.02.003)
- Mead, B. and Scheven, B. A. 2015. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection and axon regeneration. Neural Regeneration Research 10(3), pp. 371-373. (10.4103/1673-5374.153681)
- Mead, B., Thompson, A., Scheven, B. A., Logan, A., Berry, M. and Leadbeater, W. 2014. Comparative evaluation of methods for estimating retinal ganglion cell loss in retinal sections and wholemounts. PLoS ONE 9(10), article number: e110612. (10.1371/journal.pone.0110612)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2014. Paracrine-mediated neuroprotection and neuritogenesis of axotomised retinal ganglion cells by human dental pulp stem cells: comparison with human bone marrow and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. PLoS ONE 9(10), article number: e109305. (10.1371/journal.pone.0109305)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2014. Dental pulp stem cells, a paracrine-mediated therapy for the retina. Neural Regeneration Research 9(6), pp. 577-578. (10.4103/1673-5374.130089)
- Mead, B., Logan, A., Berry, M., Leadbeater, W. and Scheven, B. A. 2013. Intravitreally transplanted dental pulp stem cells promote neuroprotection and axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 54(12), pp. 7544-7556. (10.1167/iovs.13-13045)
Research
Research Interests
- Extracellular vesicle/exosome therapies as a treatment for traumatic and degeneration eye disease
- Mesenchymal stem cell treatment for glaucoma
- Molecular mechanisms of glaucoma and the development of more robust animal models
- Central nervous system axon regeneration and the optic nerve as a model for CNS injury
- Human embryonic stem cell-derived retina as an animal-free model for eye disease
Major Funding Sources
- Fight for Sight
- Glaucoma UK
- Wellcome Trust
- BBSRC
Major Collaborations
- Dr Zubair Ahmed, University of Birmingham, UK – Regeneration of the optic nerve
- Dr Stanislav Tomarev, National Institutes of Health, USA – Stem cell therapy in glaucoma
- Dr Anand Swaroop, National Institutes of Health, USA – RNAseq of purified RGC
- Dr Yuzhe Niu, National Institutes of Health, USA – Neural crest cell culture
- Dr Richard Libby, University of Rochester, NY, USA – DBA/2J glaucoma mouse model
- Prof Donald Zack, John Hopkins University, USA –Human iPSC/RGC culture
- Prof Paul Kaufman, New York University, USA – Primate models of glaucoma
- Prof Steven Bernstein, University of Maryland, USA – Optic nerve head
Teaching
I am module leader for:
OP1207 Physiology of Vision
OP0201 Human Development
Biography
I did my 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), which was via the Alternative Format (PhD-by-publication).
Following my PhD I moved overseas and took up a Visiting Fellowship as well as later, a Marie Curie EU Fellowship in the US at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (2015-2019). I then returned to the University of Birmingham for a short duration before taking up a lectureship at Cardiff University, School of Optometry.
Professional memberships
Fellow of the HEA
Academic positions
Lecturer (September 1st 2020 – PRESENT) - Full time lecturer/assistant professor at School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University.
Marie Curie Fellow (June 1st 2017 – May 31st 2020) - Full time lab work in the Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
Professor/Lead Instructor – BIOL325 Human Neuroscience (2018 – 2019) - Led the Human Neuroscience course at the National Institutes of Health, USA.
Post-doc/Visiting Fellow 2016 – 2017 - Full time lab work in the Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
PhD thesis 2012 - 2015 - Three-year full-time lab work at the University of Birmingham, UK
MRes thesis 2011 - 2012 - One-year full time lab work at the University of Birmingham, UK
Lab Technician 2011/2012 - Over 200 hours of contracted work for Neuregenix Ltd. Neuregenix is a CRO that tests novel neuroactive compounds for industry.
Summer project 2011/2012 - Over 20 weeks of full-time work in a lab over the summer of 2011 and 2012, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and the Society of Endocrinology.
