Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): From Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms to Therapies
A Special Issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409) belonging to the section "Cellular Aging".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2026 | Viewed by 158
Editor
Interests: autophagy; mitophagy; epithelial–mesenchymal transition; macular dystrophies; geographic atrophy; iPSCs; mitochondria; RPE bioenergetics; gene networks
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Age‑related macular degeneration (AMD) remains the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. While anti‑VEGF therapies have transformed the management of neovascular AMD, major challenges persist—particularly the absence of effective treatments for geographic atrophy. This Special Issue highlights recent advances that deepen our understanding of the cellular, molecular, and translational pathways driving AMD and points toward emerging therapeutic opportunities.
The contributions emphasize how dysfunction in retinal pigment epithelium, photoreceptors, microglia, and choroidal endothelium converges with oxidative stress, metabolic imbalance, impaired autophagy and lysosomal activity, mitochondrial injury, and complement‑driven inflammation to propel disease progression. Several studies also shed light on genetic and environmental factors, such as complement variants and lipid metabolism genes, that shape individual susceptibility.
A key theme throughout this Special Issue is the growing role of artificial intelligence. AI‑driven tools are increasingly used to analyze multimodal imaging, discover molecular signatures, identify new therapeutic targets, and forecast clinical trajectories—accelerating both mechanistic insight and therapeutic development.
On the translational side, the Special Issue highlights promising approaches such as complement‑targeted gene therapies, neuroprotective strategies, stem‑cell-derived RPE replacement, small molecules that enhance autophagy or mitigate oxidative stress, and biologics that modulate inflammation or angiogenesis. Advances in biomarkers and quantitative imaging further support more precise tracking of disease and treatment response.
Collectively, this Special Issue reflects the rapid evolution of AMD research—from foundational biology to innovative therapies powered by computational discovery. These contributions help set the stage for more effective, multifaceted interventions aimed at preserving vision and improving patients’ quality of life.
Dr. Sujoy Bhattacharya
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- age‑related macular degeneration
- cellular mechanism
- molecular mechanism
- gene therapies
- neuroprotective strategies
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