The National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded a $387,428 Project Grant under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to The Research Foundation for the State University of New York to investigate how optic nerve head astrocytes respond to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), a major risk factor for glaucoma. The project aims to determine if transient biomechanical strains on astrocytes caused by IOP elevation can prime them to develop greater dysfunction, including metabolic insufficiency and sensitivity to future glaucomatous damage. The researchers will use 3D hydrogel systems, transgenic animal models, and ex vivo human optic nerve head tissue to explore the role of the mechanosensitive channel Piezo1 in regulating astrocyte response to biomechanical strain. The findings could advance understanding of how optic nerve sensitivity to IOP varies across individuals and identify potential targets for preventing astrocyte priming and subsequent optic nerve vulnerability in glaucoma.
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