BIOTECH'S FUTURE: RESTORING VISION TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

The video discusses retinal degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration, highlighting their impact on vision. It explains the mechanism of retinal implants, which use light-activated proteins to restore vision by targeting bipolar and ganglion cells. The video also covers the current state of these technologies, supported by NSF and NIH, and their future commercialization prospects, emphasizing the need for long-term studies due to the chronic nature of the implants.

What role do the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health play in the development of the retinal implant?

What is the expected timeline for the commercialization of the retinal implant technology?