CERA

About us

Our collaborations and partnerships

Learn about some of our collaborative relationships with other research, industry and membership organisations.

Overview

Collaboration is critical to research success and we have a range of strategic and commercial partnerships with research and health organisations, corporate supporters, industry partners and spin-out companies incubated at CERA.

We are active members of many organisations which promote the value of medical research to our community and the eye health of Australians and people around the world.

Partnerships and collaborations

University of Melbourne

We are proud of our close affiliation with the University of Melbourne and our role in ophthalmic research and education through the Melbourne Medical School.

Our Managing Director Professor Keith Martin is Ringland Anderson Chair of Ophthalmology and Head of the School, and many of our team hold joint appointments with the University and make critical contributions to the research output that sees Melbourne and CERA consistently rank in the world’s top 5 for ophthalmology research output. The University is a member of CERA and has a representative on our Board.

Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital

Our close affiliation with the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital is critical to our ability to conduct bench to bedside research that makes a real difference for patients.

We are based at the hospital and many of our clinician-scientists also work at the hospital, while some hospital staff also contribute to our research as honorary investigators. The hospital is a valued member of CERA and has a representative on our Board.

World Health Organization

We are Australia’s only WHO Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness. Led by Professor Mingguang He, our team works to translate research that can be applied in low- and middle-income communities around Australia and the world, where more eye care services are needed.

Our goal is to improve the quality and effectiveness of eye care services and support the World Health Organization in its critical work to reduce the global burden of blindness.

Bionic Vision Technologies

We collaborate with Bionic Vision Technologies on the development and trialling of new implanted devices to improve visual function.

Enlighten Imaging

Enlighten Imaging is a spin-out company incubated at CERA which is using hyperspectral imaging technology to develop a simple eye test to detect the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Eyetelligence

We partner with Eyetelligence on key artificial intelligence research projects funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and Medical Research Future Fund.

Oculo

Oculo is a spin-out company incubated at the Centre for Eye Research. It connects optometrists and ophthalmologists with a vision to improving care for patients who live with chronic eye disease. Oculo was sold to Finnish ophthalmic diagnostics company Revenio in March 2021.

OccuRx

CERA partners with OccuRx to conduct research into ocular fibrosis

Orthoptics Australia

We work with and support Orthoptics Australia with their vision to strive for excellence in eye health care. Together, we work towards enhancing the lives of people affected by vision loss and blindness and inform and educate professionals and the community about supporting these people.

Cerulea Clinical Trials

Cerulea Clinical Trials is a fully owned not-for-profit subsidiary of CERA.

Based at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital it delivers ophthalmic clinical trials for CERA’s investigator-initiated research and industry-sponsored trials.

KeepSight

CERA is a proud supporter of KeepSight, the national diabetes eye screening program. We were part of the national advocacy effort to have the program established and our Deputy Director Associate Professor Peter van Wijngaarden is the program’s clinical director.