A noninvasive optical test that watches retinal cells respond to light
Optoretinography: All-optical measures of functional activity in the human retina
This project is developing a safe, all‑optical eye test that watches how retinal cells respond to light to help track retinal diseases and treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176810 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would sit for a safe, light‑based imaging session that records tiny changes in retinal cells when they respond to flashes of light. The team combines adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and phase‑resolved optical coherence tomography to capture these signals from single cells on millisecond timescales. They are refining the optoretinogram (ORG) technique to make it fast, sensitive, and practical for both lab studies and clinical use. The goal is to create a noninvasive biomarker that can track disease progression or treatment effects more precisely than current tests.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates include people with retinal conditions such as age‑related macular degeneration or inherited retinal degeneration, as well as healthy volunteers willing to undergo noninvasive retinal imaging.
Not a fit: People with dense cataracts, severe unstable eye movements or fixation problems, or photosensitive conditions may not benefit because the imaging may be impractical or unsafe for them.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a noninvasive biomarker to monitor retinal cell function and detect treatment effects earlier and with higher precision than current clinical tests.
How similar studies have performed: Early research groups have demonstrated that ORG methods can detect light‑driven responses at single‑cell resolution, but using ORG as a routine clinical biomarker remains novel and under active development.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sabesan, Ramkumar — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Sabesan, Ramkumar
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.