Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Wake Forest University Health Sciences received a $1.36M Project Grant award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of the Director under the Trans-NIH Research Support program (CFDA 93.310), effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029. The award supports research to identify single-cell determinants of corneal injury progression following sulfur mustard exposure. Using a translational rabbit model of sulfur mustard vapor exposure, the research team will employ single-cell RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization techniques to characterize cellular and molecular pathways involved in the transition from acute corneal lesion to mustard gas keratopathy (MGK). The ultimate objective is to identify therapeutic targets that could prevent or mitigate the onset of MGK, a debilitating ocular condition affecting up to 90% of high-dose sulfur mustard exposure casualties and characterized by corneal neovascularization, photophobia, dry eye, chronic pain, and progressive corneal decompensation.

The research deliverables include comprehensive characterization of corneal cell populations present during injury progression and identification of pathological adaptive responses at the cellular level that could inform treatment development. Preliminary findings suggest that interventions blocking acute corneal edema demonstrate strong therapeutic effects, providing a foundational basis for the proposed investigation. This work addresses a significant gap in treatment options, as no specific therapies currently exist to prevent or reverse MGK in chemically injured eyes.