Our Vision
The i3eye Consortium is positioned to uncover both common immune-mediated pathways and disease-specific mechanisms, mapping shared genetic risk loci across ocular and systemic diseases. Through collaborative efforts, we identify unique genetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic signatures for specific phenotypes (e.g. infectious vs. non-infectious uveitis), and support endophenotype-based analyses (e.g. severe vision loss, steroid dependency, bilateral involvement).
Why We Exist: The i3eye Rationale
- Inflammatory eye diseases are rare, heterogeneous, and underpowered for genetics
- Uveitis, optic neuritis, and scleritis are globally significant causes of vision loss
- Yet their genetic underpinnings remain poorly understood due to heterogeneity and rarity
- Single-centre cohorts miss modest-effect variants
- Individual Consortium members may have relatively small cohorts
- Large sample sizes are essential for robust genetic discovery
- Biobank limitations
- ICD codes lack phenotypic precision
- Intermediate and posterior uveitis infrequent in biobanks
- Need for global scale + diversity
- Detect genetic risk across populations
- Understand shared immune pathways (e.g. MS, sarcoidosis)
- Enable precision medicine and trial stratification
- Reduce European ancestry bias in genomic research
Core Principles
🤝 Trust & Respect
This Consortium is built on mutual trust among members. Participation in collaborations is contingent on affirming this fundamental basis.
📋 Confidentiality
Findings generated by collaborative efforts are not to be used in grant applications or papers without prior consent of scientists involved.
💬 Open Communication
All decisions and activities are conducted transparently through frequent in-person, virtual, or email communication among members.
⏰ Timeliness
Commitment to adhere to reasonable timelines in data sharing, reviewing analytic plans, and publishing papers.
📚 Priority & Recognition
Research groups that make discoveries using Consortium resources have first right to publish; others cannot publish separately on that finding.
🎓 Supporting Next Generation
Emphasis on training students and early career researchers with opportunities for first-author publications and research leadership.
Led by King's College London
The i3eye Consortium is led by King's College London, with international partnerships across academic institutions dedicated to advancing inflammatory eye disease genomics.
Key Contact: Dr. Tasanee Braithwaite (tasanee.braithwaite@kcl.ac.uk)