Dysfunction of the microvasculature (the smallest vessels in the human body) can lead to age-related diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia. Diabetes alone impacts the lives of over one million Australians and generates an economic cost of $14 billion per year. When diabetes causes the smallest vessels in our body to malfunction, the result can be blindness, limb amputation, or death. However, there is a lack of sensitive diagnostic tools to detect the early onset of microvascular dysfunction.
Dr Danka Sampson is developing optics-based standardised imaging instruments and software tools to accurately diagnose and monitor microvascular dysfunction in ocular and systemic diseases (with main focus on diabetes) that are critical to improving the quality of clinical care.
2024