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Dr Sian Morgan
Research Associate
School of Optometry and Vision Sciences
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I am a Research Associate working within the Structural Biophysics Group in the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences. My current research is funded by a £2.4 million Medical Research Council grant that is focussed on the development of new technologies and techniques to better understand the function of the cornea and other collagen rich tissues, and the development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of connective tissue disorders including developmental abnormalities, disease and abnormal healing processes. One of my aims is to further understand the relationship between structure and function in normal and diseased corneas. I am particularly interested in photochemical cross-linking of corneal collagen, resulting in cornea stiffening and increased resistance to enzymatic digestion, which is an evolving treatment for keratoconus. Keratoconus is a disease characterised by progressive thinning and steepening of the cornea and severe irregular astigmatism and is one of the leading causes of corneal transplant surgery in the UK.
Publication
2024
- Morgan, S. R., O'Brart, D. P. S., Huang, J., Meek, K. M. and Hayes, S. 2024. An in vitro investigation into the impact of corneal rinsing on riboflavin/UVA corneal cross-linking. Eye and Vision 11(8) (10.1186/s40662-024-00375-4)
- Meek, K. M., Knupp, C., Lewis, P. N., Morgan, S. R. and Hayes, S. 2024. Structural control of corneal transparency, refractive power and dynamics. Eye (10.1038/s41433-024-02969-7)
2022
- Bell, J., Morgan, S., Koudouna, E., Hayes, S. and Meek, K. 2022. The hierarchical response of human corneal collagen to controlled inflation. Presented at: 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, USA, 1-4 May 2022, Vol. 63. Vol. 7. IOVS pp. 2392.
- Rumney, B. M. et al. 2022. Characterisation of carapace composition in developing and adult ostracods (Skogsbergia lerneri) and its potential for biomaterials. Marine Biology 169(6), article number: 78. (10.1007/s00227-022-04047-6)
- Rumney, B. M. et al. 2022. The ultrastructural development and 3D reconstruction of the transparent carapace of the ostracod Skogsbergia lerneri. Marine Biology 169, article number: 35. (10.1007/s00227-021-04006-7)
2021
- Hayes, S., Morgan, S. R. and Meek, K. M. 2021. Keratoconus: cross-linking the window of the eye. Therapeutic Advances in Rare Disease 2, pp. 1-14. (10.1177/26330040211003573)
2020
- Pasqualetto, G. et al. 2020. Computational studies towards the identification of novel rhodopsin-binding compounds as chemical chaperones for misfolded opsins. Molecules 25(21), article number: 4904. (10.3390/molecules25214904)
- Morgan, S. R. et al. 2020. Establishment of long-term ostracod epidermal culture. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Animal 56(9), pp. 760-772. (10.1007/s11626-020-00508-8)
- Morgan, S. R. et al. 2020. Controlled in vitro delivery of voriconazole and diclofenac to the cornea using contact lenses for the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 579, article number: 119102. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119102)
- Hewitt, M. G. et al. 2020. In Vitro Topical Delivery of Chlorhexidine to the Cornea: Enhancement Using Drug-Loaded Contact Lenses and β-Cyclodextrin Complexation, and the Importance of Simulating Tear Irrigation. Molecular Pharmaceutics 17(4), pp. 1428-1441. (10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00140)
2018
- Morgan, S. et al. 2018. Microwave treatment of the cornea leads to localised disruption of the extracellular matrix. Scientific Reports 8, article number: 13742. (10.1038/s41598-018-32110-0)
2016
- Morgan, S., Dooley, E. P., Kamma-Lorger, C., Funderburgh, J. L., Funderburgh, M. and Meek, K. 2016. Early wound healing of laser in situ keratomileusis?like flaps after treatment with human corneal stromal stem cells. Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery 42(2), pp. 302-309. (10.1016/j.jcrs.2015.09.023)
- Jessop, Z. M. et al. 2016. Combining regenerative medicine strategies to provide durable reconstructive options: auricular cartilage tissue engineering. Stem Cell Research and Therapy 7, article number: 19. (10.1186/s13287-015-0273-0)
2015
- Hayes, S., Morgan, S. R., O'Brart, D. P., O'Brart, N. and Meek, K. M. A. 2015. A study of stromal riboflavin absorption inex vivoporcine corneas using new and existing delivery protocols for corneal cross-linking. Acta Ophthalmologica 94(2), pp. e109-e117. (10.1111/aos.12884)
2013
- Morgan, S. R. et al. 2013. An X-Ray scattering study into the structural basis of corneal refractive function in an Avian Model. Biophysical Journal 104(12), pp. 2586-2594. (10.1016/j.bpj.2013.04.053)
2012
- Boote, C. et al. 2012. Quantitative assessment of ultrastructure and light scatter in mouse corneal debridement wounds. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 53(6), pp. 2786-2795. (10.1167/iovs.11-9305)
Articles
- Morgan, S. R., O'Brart, D. P. S., Huang, J., Meek, K. M. and Hayes, S. 2024. An in vitro investigation into the impact of corneal rinsing on riboflavin/UVA corneal cross-linking. Eye and Vision 11(8) (10.1186/s40662-024-00375-4)
- Meek, K. M., Knupp, C., Lewis, P. N., Morgan, S. R. and Hayes, S. 2024. Structural control of corneal transparency, refractive power and dynamics. Eye (10.1038/s41433-024-02969-7)
- Rumney, B. M. et al. 2022. Characterisation of carapace composition in developing and adult ostracods (Skogsbergia lerneri) and its potential for biomaterials. Marine Biology 169(6), article number: 78. (10.1007/s00227-022-04047-6)
- Rumney, B. M. et al. 2022. The ultrastructural development and 3D reconstruction of the transparent carapace of the ostracod Skogsbergia lerneri. Marine Biology 169, article number: 35. (10.1007/s00227-021-04006-7)
- Hayes, S., Morgan, S. R. and Meek, K. M. 2021. Keratoconus: cross-linking the window of the eye. Therapeutic Advances in Rare Disease 2, pp. 1-14. (10.1177/26330040211003573)
- Pasqualetto, G. et al. 2020. Computational studies towards the identification of novel rhodopsin-binding compounds as chemical chaperones for misfolded opsins. Molecules 25(21), article number: 4904. (10.3390/molecules25214904)
- Morgan, S. R. et al. 2020. Establishment of long-term ostracod epidermal culture. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Animal 56(9), pp. 760-772. (10.1007/s11626-020-00508-8)
- Morgan, S. R. et al. 2020. Controlled in vitro delivery of voriconazole and diclofenac to the cornea using contact lenses for the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 579, article number: 119102. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119102)
- Hewitt, M. G. et al. 2020. In Vitro Topical Delivery of Chlorhexidine to the Cornea: Enhancement Using Drug-Loaded Contact Lenses and β-Cyclodextrin Complexation, and the Importance of Simulating Tear Irrigation. Molecular Pharmaceutics 17(4), pp. 1428-1441. (10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00140)
- Morgan, S. et al. 2018. Microwave treatment of the cornea leads to localised disruption of the extracellular matrix. Scientific Reports 8, article number: 13742. (10.1038/s41598-018-32110-0)
- Morgan, S., Dooley, E. P., Kamma-Lorger, C., Funderburgh, J. L., Funderburgh, M. and Meek, K. 2016. Early wound healing of laser in situ keratomileusis?like flaps after treatment with human corneal stromal stem cells. Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery 42(2), pp. 302-309. (10.1016/j.jcrs.2015.09.023)
- Jessop, Z. M. et al. 2016. Combining regenerative medicine strategies to provide durable reconstructive options: auricular cartilage tissue engineering. Stem Cell Research and Therapy 7, article number: 19. (10.1186/s13287-015-0273-0)
- Hayes, S., Morgan, S. R., O'Brart, D. P., O'Brart, N. and Meek, K. M. A. 2015. A study of stromal riboflavin absorption inex vivoporcine corneas using new and existing delivery protocols for corneal cross-linking. Acta Ophthalmologica 94(2), pp. e109-e117. (10.1111/aos.12884)
- Morgan, S. R. et al. 2013. An X-Ray scattering study into the structural basis of corneal refractive function in an Avian Model. Biophysical Journal 104(12), pp. 2586-2594. (10.1016/j.bpj.2013.04.053)
- Boote, C. et al. 2012. Quantitative assessment of ultrastructure and light scatter in mouse corneal debridement wounds. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 53(6), pp. 2786-2795. (10.1167/iovs.11-9305)
Conferences
- Bell, J., Morgan, S., Koudouna, E., Hayes, S. and Meek, K. 2022. The hierarchical response of human corneal collagen to controlled inflation. Presented at: 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, USA, 1-4 May 2022, Vol. 63. Vol. 7. IOVS pp. 2392.
- Morgan, S. R. et al. 2020. Controlled in vitro delivery of voriconazole and diclofenac to the cornea using contact lenses for the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 579, article number: 119102. (10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119102)
- Hewitt, M. G. et al. 2020. In Vitro Topical Delivery of Chlorhexidine to the Cornea: Enhancement Using Drug-Loaded Contact Lenses and β-Cyclodextrin Complexation, and the Importance of Simulating Tear Irrigation. Molecular Pharmaceutics 17(4), pp. 1428-1441. (10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00140)
- Morgan, S. et al. 2018. Microwave treatment of the cornea leads to localised disruption of the extracellular matrix. Scientific Reports 8, article number: 13742. (10.1038/s41598-018-32110-0)
- Morgan, S., Dooley, E. P., Kamma-Lorger, C., Funderburgh, J. L., Funderburgh, M. and Meek, K. 2016. Early wound healing of laser in situ keratomileusis?like flaps after treatment with human corneal stromal stem cells. Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery 42(2), pp. 302-309. (10.1016/j.jcrs.2015.09.023)
Research
My PhD studies helped make important progress towards improving novel refractive surgical procedures (including UVA/riboflavin cross-linking of the cornea for Keratoconus patients) and their outcomes. Through a combination of advanced techniques my project broadened the understanding of how structural changes to the corneal extracellular matrix can affect the cornea’s unique properties and accentuated the importance of the precise stromal collagen fibril arrangement and composition for maintaining corneal transparency, shape and general functionality. All these factors must be taken into consideration when implementing novel correction procedures or modifying existing treatments for corneal defects and this knowledge will be integral to the ongoing research in this area.
My postdoctoral research experience to date has ranged from further investigations into the development and optimisation of therapies for the management of vision disorders to studying the biological induction of maturation and its potential to provide stable tissue-engineered cartilage for aesthetic and reconstructive facial surgery and exploring the carapace of small crustaceans as novel transparent materials. Each role has allowed me to use complex analytical techniques such as:
- Ex vivo corneal cross-linking – assessing riboflavin delivery mechanisms
- Synchrotron wide and small-angle x-ray scattering (for structural studies)
- High-performance liquid chromatography
- Spectrophotometry
- Immunohistochemistry and fluorescence imaging
- Enzyme assay design
- Cell (corneal stromal stem cell) and organ (corneal) culture
- Transmission Electron Microscopy
- Corneal strip extensometry (for stress-strain/biomechanical measurements)
- Molecular Biology (qPCR, Western blotting, gel electrophoresis)
- Molecular cloning (colony screening by PCR)
- Ocular drug formulation
- In vitro/ex vivo ocular drug delivery
Teaching
LECTURES AND SUPERVISION
- Eye in Health and Disease - Cardiff Institute for Tissue Engineering and Repair MSc Lecture (Dec 2021)
- OP1205: Cells to Systems Lecture (Virtual) – OPTOM, Cardiff University (Oct 2020).
- OP1205: Cells to Systems Lecture – OPTOM, Cardiff University (Oct 2017 and Oct 2018).
- Retinal Engineering and Repair Lecture - BIOSCI, Cardiff University (Apr 2016)
- Supervision of PhD/MPhil/MSc/MPharm students.
- Supervision of Erasmus students.
- Supervision of final year undergraduate written and practical projects.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Ambassador (2012 – Present)
- I organise and attend events and workshops for young people with the aim to promote the STEM subjects and related careers.
Dedicated CITER Member and Volunteer (2012 – Present)
- I am a CITER representative and have volunteered at over 20 workshops, school visits, festivals or college events to date. This role involves demonstrating the outreach activities and supporting science communication.
LINKS TO ONLINE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
CITER Virtual Primary School Engagement Activity Maggots in Wound Healing - YouTube
Biography
EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
2010 – 2014: PhD, Understanding the structural basis of corneal refractive function and its modification via novel therapeutic approaches, Structural Biophysics Group, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University.
2009 – 2010: PGCE Secondary Science (11-16), Swansea School of Education, Swansea Metropolitan University (Swansea School of Education).
2008 – 2009: Distinction MSc Biomedical Sciences Research, Faculty of Medical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol (Faculty of Medical and Veterinary Sciences).
2003 – 2006: 2:1 BSc (Hons) Biochemistry with Molecular Biology, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2021 - Present: BLS Public Engagement (PE) Strategy Advisory Group.
2016 – Present: Cardiff University Research Staff Association (CURSA) Representative.
2011 – Present: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Ambassador.
2012 – 2013: Chair of Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair (CITER) Soc.
Honours and awards
- STEM for BRITAIN 2021 (Bronze award winner in the ‘Biological and Biomedical Sciences’ category) - (March 2021).
- CITER Seedcorn bursary 2019-2020 (£3392.18, 1 year, 100% Ownership) - (July 2020).
- EGAS Funding Award through the OPTOM RESCOM Committee (£2456, 1 year, 50% Ownership) - (May 2020).
- Women in Vison UK 2020 Cornea and Ocular Surface Gordon Research Conference Travel Award - (January 2020).
- CITER Contribution and Engagement Award – An award of £200 for outstanding contribution to CITER engagement and outreach activities throughout the academic year (September 2019).
- Diamond Light Source Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Funding (£42,000 (REF equiv. value), 2 days, Co-Investigator) - (June 2019).
- EGAS Funding Award through the OPTOM RESCOM Committee (£2,686, 1 year, 25% Ownership) - (March 2019).
- Diamond Light Source STFC Funding (£63,000 (REF equiv. value), 3 days, Principal Investigator) - (April 2018).
- Funding for Interdisciplinary Activities - CITER Soc proposal accepted by the University Graduate College, Cardiff University (2013).
- CITER conference bursary - CITER, Cardiff University (2013).
- 1st prize for poster presentation - Bristol Vision Institute: Young Vision Researchers' Colloquium, Cardiff University (2013).
- 2nd prize for poster presentation - Speaking of Science conference, Cardiff University (2011).
- 1st prize for poster presentation - British Society for Matrix Biology Spring Meeting, Bristol (2011).
Professional memberships
- Member of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
- Member of the British Society for Matrix Biology (BSMB).
Academic positions
- April 2021 - Present: Research Associate, A mechanistic understanding of corneal pathobiology and the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of connective tissue disorders, Structural Biophysics Group, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University (MRC funded).
- Apr 2019 – April 2021: Research Associate, Targeted Drug Delivery to the Cornea of the Eye Via Medicated Contact Lenses and Mucoadhesive Thin Films, a collaborative project between the Schools of Optometry and Vision Sciences and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University (BBSRC funded).
- Oct 2016 – Apr 2019: Research Associate, The Ostracod Carapace as a Novel Transparent Material, Structural Biophysics Group, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University (DSTL funded).
- Jan 2016 – Sept 2016: Research Associate, Novel modulators of the visual cycle for treatment of retinal degenerations, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University (Ser Cymru Life Sciences Research Network funded).
- Jun 2014 – Dec 2015: Research Associate, Investigating the biological induction of maturation and its potential to provide stable tissue engineered cartilage for aesthetic and reconstructive facial surgery, The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, ABMU/ReconRegen, and Centre for NanoHealth, Swansea University.
- 2013 – 2014: Website Co-founder and Administrator, UK Cross-linking Consortium, Cardiff University.
Committees and reviewing
- Jan 2020 – Jan 2022: CITER Executive Committee Member – Attended monthly CITER Executive Committee meetings as the Engagement Committee Chair.
- Jan 2020 – Jan 2022: CITER Engagement Committee Chair – Chair the monthly CITER Engagement Committee meetings.
- Mar 2019 – Present: CITER Research Committee Member – Attend monthly CITER Research Committee meetings as an OPTOM/PHRMY representative.
- Jan 2017 – Present: CITER Engagement Committee Member – Attend monthly CITER Engagement Committee meetings as an OPTOM representative.
