The National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded a $492,500 Project Grant (CFDA 93.867 - Vision Research) to The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Inc., a non-profit organization affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear. This grant, effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2029, will fund research to develop induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that are universally immune-compatible for regenerative ocular therapies. The project aims to generate gene-edited iPSCs that express HLA-I molecules without antigenic peptides or with low-affinity peptides, enabling them to evade both CD8+ T cell and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity while maintaining pluripotency. Successful completion of the three specific aims would pave the way for widely accessible, allogeneic stem cell treatments for various eye conditions.
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