Bio Prof Thomas Ritter, PhD My lab investigates the development of novel gene- and cell therapies for immune-mediated diseases of the eye using immunomodulatory cells such as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), dendritic cells and regulatory T cells. We also aim to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms by using knock-down or overexpression strategies. Moreover, my lab also investigates the therapeutic efficacy of extracellular vesicles secreted from MSC (MSC-EV). We have established a panel in vitro potency assays to measure the therapeutic efficacy of immunomodulatory cells and MSC-EVs. In vivo, the therapeutic efficacy of immunomodulatory cells and MSC-EVs is evaluated in pre-clinical models of corneal transplantation, ocular surface injury and intraocular inflammation (Uveitis). Based on our successful pre-clinical studies, the immunomodulatory capacity of human MSC will be investigated in 2021 in a phase 1b clinical study in corneal transplant patients with high risk of immune-mediated rejection. For our work we are using state-of-the art technology such as flow cytometry, in vivo imaging, optical coherence tomography, gene therapy. Prof. Ritter has over25 years of experience in molecular biology and cell biology which he applied in the field of gene and cell therapy in transplantation and other immune mediated diseases. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in 1994 from the Max-Planck Research group of ImmunologyRheumatology at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany where he worked on the molecular characterization of T cell receptors specific for human collagen type II. Having completed his Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Marseille, Center of Immunology in 1995, Prof. Ritter took up a faculty position at the prestigious Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Germany. He worked as a leader of the gene therapy programme in experimental transplantation in the Institute of Medical Immunology under the directorship of Prof. Dr. H.-D. Volk. His research focused on the development of efficient viral gene-transfer systems for application in transplantation medicine. Prof. Ritter was successful in obtaining significant funding from the German Research Foundation and the Ministry of Health and Research as well as from industry (Schering). Prof. Ritter completed his Habilitation (postdoctoral lecture qualification) in Immunology in 2002 followed by a promotion to assistant professor in 2003. Sincehis appointment at the National University of Ireland Galway in 2005Prof Ritterwas successful in obtaining substantial funding from several funding agencies including Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Health Research Board (HRB), Irish Research Council (IRC) and the European Union FP7 and H2020 programmes totalling in approx. 5M in direct costs.He has published more than 90 original research articles in peer-reviewed journals, 28 reviews, 1 editorial, 3 book chapters. Moreover, Prof Ritter has given more than 50 invited lectures, seminars and oral presentations. Prof Ritter served as Vice-Dean for Research in the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences of NUI Galway from 2012-2017. He is a funded investigator of the SFI research centre for Medical Devices CURAM. He currently serves as Associate Editor for the prestigious journal Molecular Therapy and serves as Reviewing Editor for PeerJournal. He serves as Management Committee Member on three EU-funded European networks for Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST-Action) to facilitate and promote research cooperation in the areas of transplantation and tolerogenic cells (AFACTT, Action to focus and accelerate cellular tolerance-inducing therapies, BM1305), inflammatory eye disease (Aniridia, CA18116) and antisense-RNA technology (DARTER, CA17103).He also serves as ad hoc referee for many journals including American Journal of Transplantation, Biomaterials, Gene Therapy, Invest. Ophthal. Vis. Sci. (IOVS), Molecular Therapy, Stem Cells, Stem Cell Res amp; Ther., Transplantation, Transplant Immunology, Transplant International, BMC Ophthalmology.Healso serves as grant assessor for the German Research Foundation (DFG), Wellcome Trust and Action Medical Research (UK), Arthritis Research (UK), BBSRC (UK), DutchReumafonds (NL), Austriansciencefunds (AU) and other funding agencies.He isamember of the German Society of Immunology (DFGI), German Society for Gene Therapy (DG-GT), the Association forResearchin Visionand Ophthalmology (ARVO)and the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT). Key words: Corneal Transplantation, Gene Therapy, Immunology, Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Immunomodulation, tolerogenic cells, Extracellular vesicles

Novel therapeutic approaches to improve corneal transplant survival by gene and cell therapy and insights into the mechanism of actionTo investigate whether the immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells can be utilised to improve corneal allograft survival To understand the mechanism of PD-L1 mediated promotion of corneal allograft survival To develop novel gene- and cell therapeutic approaches for the treatment of ocular surface injuriesblockquoteTo understand how changes in cell surface glycosylation modulate the tolerogenic potential of regulatory cellsTo understand the role of extracellular vesicles secreted from mesenchymal stem cells in modulation of ocular surface injury. blockquoteKey words: Transplantation, Gene Therapy, Immunology, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Immunomoduation, tolerogenic cells, Extracellular vesicles