27.06.2024 | Around 8,000 people in Germany are living with the very rare diagnosis of Usher syndrome. The hereditary and as yet incurable disease, named after the Scottish ophthalmologist Charles Howard Usher, is associated with both hearing impairment and retinal degeneration. So far, research has identified eleven genes whose defects can lead to one of the subtypes of Usher syndrome. In a large number of programs of study, Wolfrum’s team has gained fundamental insights into the molecular processes and mechanisms of Usher syndrome and evaluated potential therapeutic options for the eye. And yet there is still a long way to go before sufferers like two-year-old Matti can be helped with innovative treatment options.