Molecular and Technological Horizons in Ophthalmology: Precision Medicine from Artificial Intelligence to Optogenetic Vision Restoration

Dear Colleagues,

Ophthalmology is undergoing a paradigm shift driven by the convergence of precision medicine, biomolecular science, and emerging technologies. Advances in genomics, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence (AI), optogenetics, and neuroengineering are redefining disease stratification, diagnosis, and treatment across a wide spectrum of ocular disorders.

This Special Issue aims to integrate two traditionally parallel trajectories:

1. Precision ophthalmology, grounded in molecular diagnostics, biomarkers, and personalized therapies; and
2. Technological innovation, including AI-driven analytics, optogenetic and neuroprosthetic systems, and advanced delivery platforms.

By focusing on the biomolecular interfaces that enable these technologies to achieve clinical relevance, this Special Issue will highlight how molecular mechanisms, digital biomarkers, and engineered biomolecules collectively shape the future of vision care. We welcome your contributions of original articles, review articles, and other types of articles on the topics discussed.

Research directions include, but are not limited to, the following:

I. Molecular Mechanisms and Biomarkers in Precision Ophthalmology

• Genomics, epigenetics, proteomics, and metabolomics in ocular diseases
• Molecular signatures and biomarker discovery in retinal and optic nerve disorders
• Disease risk prediction and molecular stratification in glaucoma, AMD, and diabetic retinopathy

II. Artificial Intelligence and Molecularly Informed Diagnostics

• AI-based retinal imaging and molecularly meaningful digital biomarkers
• Deep learning for disease phenotyping and progression modeling
• Integration of AI with omics data and electronic health records
• AI-driven drug discovery and molecular target identification

III. Optogenetics, Neuroengineering, and Vision Restoration

• Optogenetic strategies for retinal and cortical vision restoration
• Opsin engineering, gene design, and intracellular signaling pathways
• Molecular interfaces between optogenetic systems and retinal circuitry
• Light-sensitive polymers, biomaterials, and neuroprosthetic platforms

IV. Therapeutic Innovation and Molecular Delivery

• Gene- and cell-based therapies for inherited and acquired retinal diseases
• Nanocarriers, hydrogels, and advanced molecular delivery systems
• Molecular regulation of retinal remodeling, gliosis, and neuroprotection
• CRISPR, single-cell technologies, and organoid models in ophthalmic research

V. Translational, Clinical, and Ethical Perspectives

• Clinical implementation of precision medicine in ophthalmology
• Brain–computer interfaces and digital health in vision rehabilitation
• Teleophthalmology and remote molecular diagnostics
• Ethical, regulatory, and translational challenges of AI, gene therapy, and neurotechnologies

Dr. Caterina Gagliano
Dr. José Fernando Maya-Vetencourt
Dr. Dario Rusciano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Personalized Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• ophthalmology
• precision medicine
• biomolecules
• artificial intelligence
• optogenetics
• retinal degeneration
• gene therapy
• neuroprosthetics
• nanocarriers
• molecular diagnostics
• vision restoration