Â鶹Éçmadou
Swathi Priya Mudaliar Nagamani

Swathi Priya Mudaliar Nagamani

PhD Candidate
Postgraduate Research Student
Medicine & Health
School of Optometry and Vision Science

Research title:ÌýMitochondrial dysfunction in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: Investigating Anti-VEGF and DMFu combination therapies with a Nanoparticles based Sustained Drug Delivery System

Primary Supervisor: Dr Daisy Shu

Secondary Supervisors: Professor Mark Willcox, Dr. Tushar Kumeria

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Abstract

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults, primarily driven by angiogenesis, fibrosis, and inflammation. Central to its progression is mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, influenced by oxidative stress and redox imbalance. Current nAMD treatments, especially anti-VEGF therapy, require frequent intravitreal injections, placing a burden on patients and healthcare systems. This PhD project aims to investigate the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in nAMD pathogenesis and evaluate the combined therapeutic potential of anti-VEGF agents and dimethyl fumarate (DMFu), a drug known to modulate inflammatory pathways and mitochondrial metabolism.

The research will assess mitochondrial health post-anti-VEGF treatment, explore the synergistic effects of anti-VEGF and DMFu in restoring mitochondrial function, and examine the long-term protective impact of DMFu in disease progression. Additionally, the study will identify fibrotic biomarkers linking mitochondrial dysfunction with EMT and EndMT pathways. A key innovation is the development of a nanoparticle-based sustained drug delivery system encapsulating anti-VEGF and DMFu, aimed at reducing injection frequency from monthly to bi-annual. This integrated approach could uncover new diagnostic markers and therapeutic strategies, significantly improving patient outcomes and transforming the management of nAMD.

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Biography

Swathipriya is a PhD candidate at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Â鶹Éçmadou. Her research focuses on mitochondrial dysfunction in neovascular age-related macular degeneration, with a specific interest in exploring the therapeutic potential of Anti-VEGF and DMFu combination therapies using nanoparticle-based sustained drug delivery systems. She built a strong foundation in retinal research as a research optometrist at the Sankara Nethralaya Medical Research Foundation in India. She earned both her bachelor's and master’s degrees in optometry from the Vasan Institute of Optometry and The Sankara Nethralaya Academy, both affiliated with Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. She also holds a fellowship in Clinical Optometry from The Sankara Nethralaya Academy (TSNA). Swathipriya has been involved in various projects related to anterior and posterior segment diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, age-related macular degeneration, dry eye disease, and corneal disorders.

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Education

Bachelor of optometry (B.Optom), Master of optometry (M.Optom)

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Awards

University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA) scholarship at Â鶹Éçmadou (2025-2028)

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Memberships and Affiliations

2025– Present, Member of Optometric Association of Tamil Nanbargal (OATN)

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Conference Attendance

  • 26th Indian Eye Research Group Meeting, Chennai, India, 2019
  • OPTINT 2019 Conference, Chennai, India, 2019
  • Ornate India project conference, Chennai, India, 2021
  • 19th Dr E Vaithialingam Memorial Scientific Session, Chennai, India, 2021
  • Participated in retina risk project conference, Chennai, India, 2023

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Email

s.mudaliar_nagamani@unsw.edu.au

    1. Pradhana, D., Priya MN, S., Surya, J., Bhende, M., Laxmi, G., Sharma, T. and Raman, R., 2022. Optical coherence tomography–based prevalence of diabetic macular edema and its associated risk factors in Urban South India: a population–based study. Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 29(2), pp.149-155.
    2. Pradhana, D., Priya, N.S., Manayath, G.J., Kulkarni, S., Behera, U.C., Agarwal, T., Agarwal, M., Shah, S., Giridhar, A., Surya, J. and Ramasamy, K., 2024. Natural course of non-center-involving diabetic macular edema progression in patients under initial observation. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 72(2), pp.236-239.
    3. Chapter- Rajiv Raman, Priya N S, Priya. S. Genetics of ocular diseases (H.V. Nema, Springer, 2022)
    4. Singh, N., Priya, S., Shah, H. and Raman, R., 2021. Comparison of Ngenuity and Traditional Microscope in Vitreoretinal Surgeries from Surgeon’s Perspective. (Equally contributing first author)
    5. Khan, R., Surya, J., Roy, M., Priya, MN, S., Mohan, S., Raman, S., Raman, A., Vyas, A. and Raman, R., 2023. Use of artificial intelligence algorithms to predict systemic diseases from retinal images. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, 13(5), p.e1506.
    6. Surya, J., Pandy, N., Rim, T.H., Lee, G., Priya MN, S., Subramanian, B. and Raman, R., 2023. Efficacy of deep learning-based artificial intelligence models in screening and referring patients with diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 71(8), pp.3039-3045.
    7. Agarwal, M., Sachdeva, M., Shah, S., Raman, R., Rani, P.K., Rajalakshmi, R., Sivaprasad, S., Vignesh, T.P., Ramasamy, K., Madharia, A. and Sen, A., 2022. International Ophthalmology, 42(11), pp.3333-3343.