Computational modelling of axon growth in the retina

Sutiable for: PhD or minor thesis.

Background

Recently Dr Allison McKendrick (Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Uni. of Melbourne) and I have published a simple model of axon growth in the retina. Simplistically, axons carry the signal from the nerve cells in the retina across the retina, to the optic nerve head, and then onto the brain.

There are machines that measure our visual field (function), and machines that measure the topology of the optic nerve head (structure). One of the key questions in ophthalmological research at the moment is how the measurements from these two machines are related: the structure-function relationship. Our model connects the two.

Research Questions

• Can the model be improved, given current knowledge of axon pathfinding physiology?
• Given patient data, is the model accurate?
• How does an individual's eye shape and length affect the structure-function relationship?
• Can the model be used to target functional tests, given structural measures?

Student's Background Required

The project would involve programming in either C, Java, Matlab or R.