UWS’s ground-breaking discovery of a treatment for a devastating eye condition, Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), was on display at a Universities Scotland Parliamentary reception this week.

Lead researcher, Professor Fiona Henriquez, alongside AK patient, Charlotte Clarkston, highlighted to key politicians the University’s research breakthrough and the vital role it will play in protecting the world’s 125 million contact lens users.

As well as having truly global reach, the research has also made an important local impact through collaboration with NHS Ayrshire & Arran and the creation of jobs, and new undergraduate, postgraduate, Masters and PhD projects.

Charlotte, who was diagnosed with AK in 2019 having contracted the disease while working in Canada, told her story to guests, which included Deputy First Minister John Swinney MSP; Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Richard Lochhead MSP; and Paisley’s George Adam MSP, and how a lack of awareness of the dangers of AK was behind her diagnosis, despite paying attention to contact lens hygiene.

Now, Charlotte is determined to help raise awareness of the condition and discussed how powerful UWS’s research will be in treating the millions of people who are diagnosed every year.

For more information on UWS’s breakthrough, click here.