Biomaterials for Corneal Regeneration
Dr. Griffith does research in tissue engineering. In December 1999, she and her team produced the first functional tissue that is equivalent to human corneal tissue. Her research results were published in the journal Science and attracted public attention. Pharmaceutical and consumer industries are interested in applications for corneal equivalents because they let companies avoid animal testing. Recently, Dr. Griffith worked with Dr. David Carlsson of the National Research Council Canada and other members of the tissue engineering team to develop a graft prototype that can be used as a substitute for human donor tissue. The biosynthetic corneas created from this research are currently being tested. The preliminary results indicate that these new biomaterials let host tissues regenerate.
Dr. Griffith's success is largely due to her ability to develop and coordinate collaborations with other scientists to build a global team of researchers from diverse backgrounds who work together to solve difficult problems. Her corneal research has led to a number of major partnerships between academia and industry as well as to invitations to participate in and speak at international ophthalmology conferences and meetings. Dr. Griffith's distinctions include the Premier's Research Excellence Award, an NSERC Faculty of Medicine Award, and a University of Ottawa Young Researcher of the Year Award. She was also named to Canada’s list of Top 40 Under 40.