Contact details
About
Overview
Michael Powner is a Professor in Regenerative Medicine, joining the Optometry department at City St George's, University of London in February 2016. Michael gained his BSc in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Durham University in 2006. Followed by a PhD in Neurobiology from University College London in 2011 (thesis title: Molecular characterisation of the human macula). Following his doctorate Michael worked as a postdoctoral research associate in regenerative medicine at the Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, before taking on a lectureship at City in 2016.
Qualifications
- PGCert Academic Practice, City, University London, United Kingdom, October 2015 - June 2017
- PhD Neurobiology, University College London, United Kingdom, October 2007 - September 2011
- BSc (Hons) Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Durham University, United Kingdom, September 2003 - June 2006
Employment
- Professor of Regenerative Medicine, City St George’s, University of London, UK, August 2024 - present
- Senior lecturer, City, University of London, United Kingdom, August 2019 - July 2024
- Lecturer, City, University of London, United Kingdom, February 2016 - July 2019
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, University College London, United Kingdom, 2011 - 2016
Teaching
Taught modules
Introduction to Optometry (Cert HE)
- OV1113 Introduction to biological science (module lecturer)
Optometry (BSc Hons)
- OV1015 Neural biology and general pathology (module lead, and lecturer)
- OV2023 Visual perception (module lecturer)
Speech and language science (BSc Hons)
- SL1016 Biomedical sciences (module lecturer)
Advanced Nurse Practitioner (MSc)
- APM052 Advanced Clinical Assessment, Critical Thinking and Diagnostic Reasoning across the Lifespan (module lecturer)
Research
Research Overview
Professor Powner's team aims to develop new or adapt current, non-invasive interventions to improve patients health and quality of life. His research includes exploring the use of electromagnetic stimuli, and understanding the biological mechanisms behind its effect on biology.
Grants
SmartCare: HbA1c Self Diagnostic part 2
Funding Body: NiHR Start Date: Feb 2025 (1yr)
Value: £149,976 Ref:
SmartCare: HbA1c Self Diagnostic
Funding Body: NiHR Start Date: July 2023 (1yr)
Value: £149,851 Ref: NIHR205788
HbA1c Self Diagnostic technology development
Funding Body: Innovate UK Start Date: May 2023 (2.5yr)
Value: £211,041 Ref: 13493
The retina, an extreme model of aging
Funding Body: BBSRC Start date: Jan 2016 (4 yr)
Value: £415,526 Ref: BB/N000250/1
Research Centre
Director, Centre for Applied Vision Research
Principal Collaborators
Dr. Iasonas Triantis (City St George's)
Dr. Enayet Rahman (City St George's)
Prof. Glen Jeffery (UCL)
Dr. Vikas Kapil (QMUL)
Dr. Ben Field (Uni of Surrey)
Publications
Publications by category
Chapter
- Ramsden, C.M., Powner, M.B., Carr, A.-.J.F., Smart, M.J.K., da Cruz, L. and Coffey, P.J. (2014). Neural Retinal Regeneration with Pluripotent Stem Cells. Developments in Ophthalmology (pp. 97-110). S. Karger AG. ISBN 9783318025842.
Conference papers and proceedings (28)
- El Halabi, N., Rahman, E., Rahal, M., Powner, M. and Triantis, I. (2025). Optimized Regression Modeling for Predicting Electrical Resistance in 3D Structures. 2025 International Conference on Microelectronics (ICM) 14-17 December.doi:10.1109/icm66518.2025.11322441
- Rabbani, M., Nwokoye, I.I., Rahman, E., Powner, M.B. and Triantis, I.F. (2025). In-vitro Assessment of the Adaptive Howland Current Source for Bioimpedance Haemolysis Measurements. 2025 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS) 25-28 May.doi:10.1109/iscas56072.2025.11043826
- Rahman, E., Nikolic, B., Powner, M., Ioakim, P. and Triantis, I.F. (2024). Distinction Between Hydration and Fertigation Events in Plant Tetrapolar Bioimpedance Measurements. 2024 IEEE 2nd Conference on AgriFood Electronics (CAFE) 26-28 September.doi:10.1109/cafe63183.2024.11069343
- Bhawmick, B.K., Rahman, E., Bryan, M., Powner, M.B. and Triantis, I.F. (2024). Co-Planar Sensor for Impedimetric Characterization of Aqueous Solutions. 2024 International Workshop on Impedance Spectroscopy (IWIS) 24-27 September.doi:10.1109/iwis63047.2024.10847147
- Ahmed, T., Rahman, E., Bryan, M., Powner, M.B. and Triantis, I.F. (2024). Screen-Printed Microfluidic Channel with Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic Treatments for Air Bubble Prevention. 2024 IEEE BioSensors Conference (BioSensors) 28-30 July.doi:10.1109/biosensors61405.2024.10712711
- Woods, S., Powner, M., Selvam, S., Khan, K., Guymer, R.H., Trombley, J.... Fruttiger, M. Human Serum Metabolomics Study in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2. .
- Huntjens, B., McKellar, J.B., Ctori, I. and Powner, M.B. (2018). Ethnic variations in preferred retinal locus of fixation using Optical Coherence Tomography. 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting 29 April-3 May, Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Yasvoina, M.V., Dawood, A., Powner, M.B. and Fruttiger, M. Upregulation of activated Muller cell marker independent of local ischemia in diabetic retinopathy. .
- Kam, J.H., Weinrich, T.W., Powner, M.B. and Jeffery, G. Primate macula and short wavelength cones use glycolysis to fund energy expenditure. .
- Weinrich, T.W., Powner, M.B. and Jeffery, G. Does S cone vulnerability reside in their mitochondria? .
- Ramsden, C.M., Nommiste, B., Lane, A., Powner, M., Carr, A.-.J.F., Webster, A.... Coffe, P. Rescue of MerTK retinitis pigmentosa using a human induced pluripotent stem cell disease model. .
- Karatsai, E., Powner, M.B., Dragoni, S. and Turowski, P. Measurement of acute vascular permeability and associated signaling in ex vivo rat retinae. .
- Ullrich, M., Powner, M.B., Jones, R., Zhu, M., Egan, C. and Fruttiger, M. EXPLORING THE PATHOBIOLOGY OF DIABETIC MACULAR OEDEMA BY POST-MORTEM IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY. .
- Fernandez-Robredo, P., Powner, M., Selvam, S., Sim, D.A., Keane, P.A. and Fruttiger, M. Improvement of hyper reflective dots visualization on OCT by gold nanoparticles. .
- Fruttiger, M., Powner, M., Jones, R., Tan, W., Zhu, M., Chang, A.A.... Egan, C.A. Fate of non-perfused vessels in ischemic retina. .
- Ramsden, C., Carr, A.-.J.F., Lane, A., Powner, M., Nommitse, B., da Cruz, L.... Coffey, P. Characterisation of an induced pluripotent stem cell derived retinal pigment epithelial line derived from a subject with a MerTK defect hereditary retinopathy. .
- Yvon, C., Ramsden, C., Carr, A.-.J.F., Smart, M., Powner, M., Lane, A.... Coffey, P. Generation of neuroretina from induced pluripotent stem cells and effects of Sonic Hedgehog. .
- Selvam, S., Scott, A., Liyanage, S.E., Powner, M. and Fruttiger, M. Mouse Model for Tamoxifen-inducible Cre Targeting of Retinal Microglia. .
- Jalilian, E., Sim, D.A., Powner, M.B., Coffey, P. and Fruttiger, M. Isolation Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) cells. .
- Sim, D.A., Chu, C.J., Powner, M.B., Selvam, S., Tufail, A., Egan, C.A.... Fruttiger, M. Depot Indocyanine Green Dye for in vivo visualization of infiltrating leukocytes. .
- Powner, M.B., Gillies, M.C., Jones, R., Zhu, M., Jeffery, G. and Fruttiger, M. Alpha A Crystallin expression in the Human Retina. .
- Jalilian, E., Powner, M.B. and Fruttiger, M. Tip cell signalling in Endothelial Cells. .
- Powner, M.B., Gillies, M.C., Zhu, M., Bernstein, P.S., Hageman, G.S., Egan, C.A.... Fruttiger, M. Pan-retinal, subretinal aggregates in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2. .
- Ramsden, C.M., Powner, M.B., Carr, A.-.J.F., Smart, M.J.K., da Cruz, L. and Coffey, P.J. Experimental and clinical transplantation of pluripotent stem cells for cell therapy in retinal disease. .
- Vevis, K., Powner, M., Mckenzie, J., Zhu, M., Gillies, M. and Fruttiger, M. Gene expression profiling of the human macula. .
- Powner, M., Mckenzie, J., Roopenian, D. and Fruttiger, M. Expression of Neonatal Fc Receptor in the Eye. .
- Ramsden, C., Powner, M. and Coffey, P. Generation of Retinal Precursors using Human Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Comparison of the Efficiency of Differing Cell Culture Conditions. .
- Scott, A., Powner, M. and Fruttiger, M. Efficient, Tamoxifen-inducible, Crerecombinase Activation in Resident Retinal Microglia. .
Journal articles (48)
- Alhadchiti, A., Nikolic, B., Ioakim, P., Powner, M.B. and Triantis, I.F. (2025). Identification and analysis of key factors limiting the performance of electrical soil sensors: A review. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 237, pp. 110480-110480. doi:10.1016/j.compag.2025.110480
- Jeffery, G., Fosbury, R., Barrett, E., Hogg, C., Carmona, M.R. and Powner, M.B. (2025). Longer wavelengths in sunlight pass through the human body and have a systemic impact which improves vision. Scientific Reports, 15(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-09785-3
- Al-Hussaini, H., Al-Onaizi, M., Abed, B.S., Powner, M.B., Hasan, S.M. and Jeffery, G. (2025). Impact of short wavelength light exposure on body weight, mobility, anxiety like behaviour and cytokine expression. Scientific Reports, 15(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-89081-2
- Ahmed, T., Powner, M.B., Qassem, M. and Kyriacou, P.A. (2024). Rapid optical determination of salivary cortisol responses in individuals undergoing physiological and psychological stress. Scientific Reports, 14(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-024-69466-5
- Powner, M.B. and Jeffery, G. (2024). Light stimulation of mitochondria reduces blood glucose levels. Journal of Biophotonics, 17(5). doi:10.1002/jbio.202300521
- Ahmed, T., Powner, M.B., Qassem, M. and Kyriacou, P.A. (2024). Colorimetric Determination of Salivary Cortisol Levels in Artificial Saliva for the Development of a Portable Colorimetric Sensor (Salitrack). Sci, 6(2). doi:10.3390/sci6020020
- Rabbani, M., Rahman, E., Al Aishan, A., Powner, M.B. and Triantis, I.F. (2023). A Low-Cost, Scalable, and Configurable Multi-Electrode System for Electrical Bio-Interfacing with In-Vitro Cell Cultures. Applied Sciences, 14(1). doi:10.3390/app14010162
- Rabbani, M., Rahman, E., Powner, M.B. and Triantis, I.F. (2023). Making Sense of Electrical Stimulation: A Meta-analysis for Wound Healing. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. doi:10.1007/s10439-023-03371-2
- Kam, J.H., Shinhmar, H., Powner, M.B., Hayes, M.J., Aboelnour, A. and Jeffery, G. (2023). Mitochondrial decline in the ageing old world primate retina: Little evidence for difference between the centre and periphery. PLOS ONE, 18(5). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0273882
- Powner, M.B. and Jeffery, G. (2022). Systemic glucose levels are modulated by specific wavelengths in the solar light spectrum that shift mitochondrial metabolism. PLOS ONE, 17(11). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0276937
- Hayes, M.J., Tracey-White, D., Kam, J.H., Powner, M.B. and Jeffery, G. (2021). The 3D organisation of mitochondria in primate photoreceptors. Scientific Reports, 11(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-021-98409-7
- Powner, M.B., Priestley, G., Hogg, C. and Jeffery, G. (2021). Improved mitochondrial function corrects immunodeficiency and impaired respiration in neonicotinoid exposed bumblebees. PLOS ONE, 16(8), pp. e0256581-e0256581. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0256581
- Kam, J.H., Weinrich, T.W., Shinhmar, H., Powner, M.B., Roberts, N.W., Aboelnour, A.... Jeffery, G. (2019). Fundamental differences in patterns of retinal ageing between primates and mice. Scientific Reports, 9(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-019-49121-0
- Kam, J.H., Weinrich, T.W., Sangha, H., Powner, M.B., Fosbury, R. and Jeffery, G. (2019). Mitochondrial absorption of short wavelength light drives primate blue retinal cones into glycolysis which may increase their pace of aging. Visual Neuroscience, 36. doi:10.1017/s0952523819000063
- Rahman, E., Powner, M.B., Kyriacou, P.A. and Triantis, I.F. (2018). Assessment of the Complex Refractive Indices of Xenopus Laevis Sciatic Nerve for the Optimization of Optical (NIR) Neurostimulation. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 26(12), pp. 2306-2314. doi:10.1109/tnsre.2018.2878107
- Powner, M.B., Woods, S.M., Zhu, M., Gillies, M.C., Bernstein, P.S., Hageman, G.S.... Fruttiger, M. (2018). FUNDUS-WIDE SUBRETINAL AND PIGMENT EPITHELIAL ABNORMALITIES IN MACULAR TELANGIECTASIA TYPE 2. Retina, 38(1), pp. S105-S113. doi:10.1097/iae.0000000000001860
- Aboelnour, A., Van der Spuy, J., Powner, M. and Jeffery, G. (2017). Primate retinal cones express phosphorylated tau associated with neuronal degeneration yet survive in old age. Experimental Eye Research, 165, pp. 105-108. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2017.09.013
- Weinrich, T.W., Powner, M.B., Lynch, A., Jonnal, R.S., Werner, J.S. and Jeffery, G. (2017). No evidence for loss of short-wavelength sensitive cone photoreceptors in normal ageing of the primate retina. Scientific Reports, 7(1). doi:10.1038/srep46346
- Ramsden, C.M., Nommiste, B., R. Lane, A., Carr, A.-.J.F., Powner, M.B., J. K. Smart, M.... Coffey, P.J. (2017). Rescue of the MERTK phagocytic defect in a human iPSC disease model using translational read-through inducing drugs. Scientific Reports, 7(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-00142-7
- Fernández-Robredo, P., Selvam, S., Powner, M.B., Sim, D.A. and Fruttiger, M. (2017). Neuropilin 1 Involvement in Choroidal and Retinal Neovascularisation. PLOS ONE, 12(1), pp. e0169865-e0169865. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0169865
- Powner, M.B., Salt, T.E., Hogg, C. and Jeffery, G. (2016). Improving Mitochondrial Function Protects Bumblebees from Neonicotinoid Pesticides. PLOS ONE, 11(11), pp. e0166531-e0166531. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0166531
- Powner, M.B., Sim, D.A., Zhu, M., Nobre-Cardoso, J., Jones, R., Syed, A.... Fruttiger, M. (2016). Evaluation of Nonperfused Retinal Vessels in Ischemic Retinopathy. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 57(11), pp. 5031-5031. doi:10.1167/iovs.16-20007
- Carter, D.A., Smart, M.J.K., Letton, W.V.G., Ramsden, C.M., Nommiste, B., Chen, L.L.... Carr, A.-.J.F. (2016). Mislocalisation of BEST1 in iPSC-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells from a family with autosomal dominant vitreoretinochoroidopathy (ADVIRC). Scientific Reports, 6(1). doi:10.1038/srep33792
- Wu, J., Su, W., Powner, M.B., Liu, J., Copland, D.A., Fruttiger, M.... Liu, L. (2016). Pleiotropic action of CpG-ODN on endothelium and macrophages attenuates angiogenesis through distinct pathways. Scientific Reports, 6(1). doi:10.1038/srep31873
- Joyal, J.-.S., Sun, Y., Gantner, M.L., Shao, Z., Evans, L.P., Saba, N.... Smith, L.E.H. (2016). Correction: Corrigendum: Retinal lipid and glucose metabolism dictates angiogenesis through the lipid sensor Ffar1. Nature Medicine, 22(6), pp. 692-692. doi:10.1038/nm0616-692a
- Joyal, J.-.S., Sun, Y., Gantner, M.L., Shao, Z., Evans, L.P., Saba, N.... Smith, L.E.H. (2016). Retinal lipid and glucose metabolism dictates angiogenesis through the lipid sensor Ffar1. Nature Medicine, 22(4), pp. 439-445. doi:10.1038/nm.4059
- Joyal, J.-.S., Sun, Y., Gantner, M.L., Shao, Z., Evans, L.P., Saba, N.... Smith, L.E.H. (2016). Retinal lipid and glucose metabolism dictates angiogenesis through the lipid sensor Ffar1 (vol 22, pg 439, 2016). NATURE MEDICINE, 22(4)
- Jo, D.H., Park, S.W., Cho, C.S., Powner, M.B., Kim, J.H., Fruttiger, M.... Kim, J.H. (2015). Intravitreally Injected Anti-VEGF Antibody Reduces Brown Fat in Neonatal Mice. PLOS ONE, 10(7), pp. e0134308-e0134308. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0134308
- Hidalgo-de-Quintana, J., Schwarz, N., Meschede, I.P., Stern-Schneider, G., Powner, M.B., Morrison, E.E.... van der Spuy, J. (2015). The Leber Congenital Amaurosis Protein AIPL1 and EB Proteins Co-Localize at the Photoreceptor Cilium. PLOS ONE, 10(3), pp. e0121440-e0121440. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121440
- Sim, D.A., Chu, C.J., Powner, M.B., Selvam, S., Keane, P.A., Tufail, A.... Fruttiger, M. (2015). Depot Indocyanine green dye forin vivovisualization of infiltrating leukocytes. Disease Models & Mechanisms. doi:10.1242/dmm.019018
- Yvon, C., Ramsden, C.M., Lane, A., Powner, M.B., da Cruz, L., Coffey, P.J.... Carr, A.-.J.F. (2015). Using Stem Cells to Model Diseases of the Outer Retina. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 13, pp. 382-389. doi:10.1016/j.csbj.2015.05.001
- Cunea, A., Powner, M.B. and Jeffery, G. (2014). Death by color: differential cone loss in the aging mouse retina. Neurobiology of Aging, 35(11), pp. 2584-2591. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.05.012
- Hudson, N., Powner, M.B., Sarker, M.H., Burgoyne, T., Campbell, M., Ockrim, Z.K.... Turowski, P. (2014). Differential Apicobasal VEGF Signaling at Vascular Blood-Neural Barriers. Developmental Cell, 30(5), pp. 541-552. doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2014.06.027
- Sim, D.A., Keane, P.A., Rajendram, R., Karampelas, M., Selvam, S., Powner, M.B.... Egan, C.A. (2014). Patterns of Peripheral Retinal and Central Macula Ischemia in Diabetic Retinopathy as Evaluated by Ultra-widefield Fluorescein Angiography. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 158(1), pp. 144-153.e1. doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2014.03.009
- Powner, M.B., McKenzie, J.A.G., Christianson, G.J., Roopenian, D.C. and Fruttiger, M. (2014). Expression of Neonatal Fc Receptor in the Eye. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 55(3), pp. 1607-1607. doi:10.1167/iovs.13-12574
- Scott, A., Powner, M.B. and Fruttiger, M. (2014). Quantification of vascular tortuosity as an early outcome measure in oxygen induced retinopathy (OIR). Experimental Eye Research, 120, pp. 55-60. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2013.12.020
- Ramsden, C.M., Powner, M.B., Carr, A.J.F., Smart, M.J.K., Da Cruz, L. and Coffey, P.J. (2014). Neural retinal regeneration with pluripotent stem cells. Developments in Ophthalmology, 53, pp. 97-110. doi:10.1159/000357363
- Powner, M.B., Gillies, M.C., Zhu, M., Vevis, K., Hunyor, A.P. and Fruttiger, M. (2013). Loss of Müller's Cells and Photoreceptors in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2. Ophthalmology, 120(11), pp. 2344-2352. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2013.04.013
- Carr, A.-.J.F., Smart, M.J.K., Ramsden, C.M., Powner, M.B., da Cruz, L. and Coffey, P.J. (2013). Development of human embryonic stem cell therapies for age-related macular degeneration. Trends in Neurosciences, 36(7), pp. 385-395. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2013.03.006
- Ramsden, C.M., Powner, M.B., Carr, A.-.J.F., Smart, M.J.K., da Cruz, L. and Coffey, P.J. (2013). Stem cells in retinal regeneration: past, present and future. Development, 140(12), pp. 2576-2585. doi:10.1242/dev.092270
- Sim, D.A., Keane, P.A., Zarranz-Ventura, J., Fung, S., Powner, M.B., Platteau, E.... Egan, C.A. (2013). The Effects of Macular Ischemia on Visual Acuity in Diabetic Retinopathy. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 54(3), pp. 2353-2353. doi:10.1167/iovs.12-11103
- Begum, R., Powner, M.B., Hudson, N., Hogg, C. and Jeffery, G. (2013). Treatment with 670 nm Light Up Regulates Cytochrome C Oxidase Expression and Reduces Inflammation in an Age-Related Macular Degeneration Model. PLoS ONE, 8(2), pp. e57828-e57828. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057828
- Lange, C.A.K., Luhmann, U.F.O., Mowat, F.M., Georgiadis, A., West, E.L., Abrahams, S.... Bainbridge, J.W.B. (2012). Von Hippel-Lindau protein in the RPE is essential for normal ocular growth and vascular development. Development, 139(13), pp. 2340-2350. doi:10.1242/dev.070813
- Powner, M.B., Vevis, K., McKenzie, J.A.G., Gandhi, P., Jadeja, S. and Fruttiger, M. (2012). Visualization of gene expression in whole mouse retina by in situ hybridization. Nature Protocols, 7(6), pp. 1086-1096. doi:10.1038/nprot.2012.050
- Len, A.C.L., Powner, M.B., Zhu, L., Hageman, G.S., Song, X., Fruttiger, M.... Gillies, M.C. (2012). Pilot Application of iTRAQ to the Retinal Disease Macular Telangiectasia. Journal of Proteome Research, 11(2), pp. 537-553. doi:10.1021/pr200889t
- Powner, M.B., Scott, A., Zhu, M., Munro, P.M.G., Foss, A.J.E., Hageman, G.S.... Fruttiger, M. (2011). Basement membrane changes in capillaries of the ageing human retina. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 95(9), pp. 1316-1322. doi:10.1136/bjo.2011.204222
- Powner, M.B., Gillies, M.C., Tretiach, M., Scott, A., Guymer, R.H., Hageman, G.S.... Fruttiger, M. (2010). Perifoveal Müller Cell Depletion in a Case of Macular Telangiectasia Type 2. Ophthalmology, 117(12), pp. 2407-2416. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2010.04.001
- Scott, A., Powner, M.B., Gandhi, P., Clarkin, C., Gutmann, D.H., Johnson, R.S.... Fruttiger, M. (2010). Astrocyte-Derived Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Stabilizes Vessels in the Developing Retinal Vasculature. PLoS ONE, 5(7), pp. e11863-e11863. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011863