Associate Professor Riccardo Natoli

He has 20 years’ experience in RNA biology and vision sciences, specialising in the molecular aspects that underpin vision loss.

Associate Professor Natoli’s vision is to lead an internationally competitive research program to reduce the severity and progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). His strategy to achieve this is to develop innovative diagnostic and treatment strategies using microRNA. AMD is a growing problem in our ageing population and with treatment options severely lacking, it is estimated that by 2030 1.7 million Australians, and 300 million people worldwide will lose their vision because of this debilitating disease.

His ground-breaking work using microRNA to understand and treat this disease is funded by competitive funding agencies, philanthropy and industry partnerships; all contributing to achieving my aim to address this major global health issue.

He is passionate about community engagement, education, and leadership, which inspired him to take a unique approach to nurturing the next generation of vision researchers and science communicators. His philosophy for research leadership and engagement is a bottom up approach where supporting an individual’s educational aspirations drives research success.

He established Clear Vision Research in 2017 to provide a framework for supporting this philosophy and to provide pathways for the community to engage in our research. This initiative ensures that students and staff in his research lab participate in driving the research goals, gain direct exposure to the people impacted by AMD and other visual disorders, and understand the critical need for science outreach.

His main areas of research projects are:

1. MicroRNA as diagnostics and therapeutics for retinal degenerations.
2. Exosomes in retinal degenerations.
3. The benefits of exercise for retinal health and reducing retinal degenerations.
4. Novel therapeutics to reduce the progression of retinal degenerations.