Project Grant R01EY037891
- The National Eye Institute awarded West Virginia University Research Corporation $420,750 on June 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to develop a novel fluorescence-based pulse-chase labeling technique combined with super-resolution microscopy for tracking protein trafficking dynamics in mouse rod photoreceptor neurons. The research addresses knowledge gaps in mammalian photoreceptor cell biology by using SNAP-TAG technology to label nascent photoreceptor proteins and...
- The National Eye Institute awarded the University of Alabama at Birmingham $636,862 on April 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to develop and validate mechanical, vascular, and morphometric biomarkers of eye-specific susceptibility to glaucoma onset and progression. The recipient will perform longitudinal optical coherence tomography imaging to quantify optic nerve head mechanical deformations and vascular perfusion in vivo in an animal model of unilateral glaucoma...
- Summary The National Eye Institute (NEI), under its Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867), awarded $417,162 to the University of Houston System for a two-year project (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027) investigating the birefringence properties of the lamina cribrosa and posterior eye structures as they relate to glaucoma detection and diagnosis. The project addresses a critical clinical need by developing advanced optical imaging methodologies to detect early structural and stress-related changes...
- The National Institutes of Health National Eye Institute awarded the University of Pittsburgh $403,633 on September 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to develop a portable trans-palpebral tonometer (PT-2) for self-administered intraocular pressure measurement in glaucoma diagnosis and management. The research aims to advance a hand-held device based on solitary wave propagation technology that enables patients to self-administer IOP measurements at home without...
- The National Eye Institute awarded Baylor College of Medicine $100,228 on March 22, 2027, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to validate endothelial mediators in glaucoma neurovascular dysfunction using ligandomics technology. The recipient will independently validate the binding selectivity of glaucoma-associated endothelial ligands to ocular hypertensive versus healthy retinal vessels and verify their functional roles in retinal ganglion cell loss and neurovascular dysfunction...
- The National Eye Institute (part of the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health) awarded West Virginia University Research Corporation $2.739 million on September 15, 2025, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to develop therapies for photoreceptor outer segment defects associated with blinding diseases. The research identifies and develops therapeutic interventions for defects in protein networks essential to photoreceptor outer segment morphogenesis....
- The National Eye Institute awarded West Virginia University Research Corporation $550,584 on September 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to investigate the mechanism of nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase-1 (NMNAT1) in retinal photoreceptor biogenesis and health. The project addresses why mutations in NMNAT1 cause Leber congenital amaurosis, a severe early-onset blinding disorder. Research will determine whether elevated nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is...
- The National Eye Institute of the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $571,206 to the University of Maryland, Baltimore on May 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to develop, refine, and validate sensitive and robust adaptive optics-optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT) biomarkers for glaucoma detection and progression monitoring. The project addresses the need for earlier detection of glaucoma progression and mechanistically relevant biomarkers to support...
- The National Eye Institute awarded The Schepens Eye Research Institute $545,948 on April 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to support Project Grant R01EY037230, "Understanding the Role of Reactive Astrocytes in Glaucoma." The award funds research into how astrocytes—the primary cellular component of the optic nerve head—become reactive in glaucoma and alter their support of retinal ganglion cells. The project investigates metabolic changes in astrocytes exposed...
- The National Eye Institute awarded The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York $532,079 on September 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to characterize the role of apelin signaling in Schlemm's canal development and its relationship to early-onset glaucoma. The research employs mouse models to express and trace the apelin receptor during Schlemm's canal development, uses conditional and inducible mouse models to study loss of apelin receptor function...
The National Eye Institute awarded West Virginia University Research Corporation $146,541 on September 1, 2026, under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to investigate the interplay of hemodynamic and biomechanical factors in glaucoma pathophysiology using integrated ultrasound imaging methods. The project integrates super-resolution ultrasound localization microscopy with ultrasound elastography strain tracking in a small animal model to examine how systemic and ocular hemodynamics interact with peripapillary sclera and optic nerve head biomechanics. The research aims to determine whether chronically reduced blood pressure and elevated intraocular pressure drive pathologic remodeling of the peripapillary sclera that increases mechanical stress on retinal ganglion cell axons, and whether pharmaceutical interventions promoting anti-fibrotic and vasodilatory mechanisms in the eye can reverse this adverse remodeling. The multi-parametric ultrasound approach addresses a gap in current diagnostic capability; optical imaging methods cannot assess volumetric ocular perfusion and tissue strain at the depths most relevant to glaucoma disease mechanisms. This research supports development of adjunct neuroprotective strategies for glaucoma patients who continue experiencing disease progression despite successful intraocular pressure reduction. Performance takes place in West Virginia. The project period runs through July 31, 2031. The assistance type is a Project Grant.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $146.5k | 8/21/26 |