Professor Stitt was appointed to the McCauley Chair of Experimental Ophthalmology in Queen's University Belfast, in March 2001. He is also the Director of the newly formed Centre for Vision & Vascular Science (CVVS) which is one of the four new research centres in the re-configured Queen's Medical School. From a personal research perspective, he has published over 120 scientific manuscripts in the inter-related areas of the biology of advanced glycation, pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy and retinal angiogenesis. This research is supported by sustained funding from a range of organisations such as the MRC, BBSRC, Wellcome Trust and the JDRF. In partnership with a network of national and international clinical and basic science collaborative partners, his programme of research has focused on important cellular and molecular mechanisms of retinal blood vessel dysfunction in the context of diabetes and age-related retinal disease. A major theme in this programme has been investigation of the role of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in diabetic retinopathy pathogenesis. In partnership with a network of national and international collaborative partners and using a range of complex in vitro and in vivo model systems, Stitt's research has established that advanced glycation has an important role in initiation and progression of diabetic retinopathy and related disease processes in the retina. Some key discoveries have provided proof that these AGE adducts are involved in neuroglial and microvascular dysfunction in the diabetic retina and this has led to development and clinical testing of several lead compounds that have progressed to clinical trial. More recent diabetic retinopathy research has concentrated on the pro-inflammatory role of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) and its importance in diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). He has demonstrated that inhibition of advanced glycation and receptor activation has potential to prevent many of the important neurodegenerative and microvascular changes associated with retinopathy.

A major theme in this programme of research has been investigation of the possibility of re-vascularising ischaemic retina thereby promoting reversal of the stimulus for neovascularisation (proliferative diabetic retinopathy). Using integrated model systems, this research has described several mechanisms whereby retinal blood vessels can be encouraged to vascularise the neural retina rather than proliferate on the retinal surface. This is an approach that has revolutionised how we view progressive ischaemia in diabetic retinopathy and indicates that, counter to long-held dogma, the retina may benefit from promoting therapeutic angiogenesis that initiates reparative processes. This approach could effectively rescue the retina from ischaemia and the underlying stimuli for sight-threatening pre-retinal neovascularisation and macular oedema. Building on this approach, his current research is seeking to harness the potential of cord and peripheral blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells to re-vascularise the ischaemic retina. Stitt was awarded a Royal Society - Wolfson Merit Award in Dec 2010.