Corneal Transplant eye protection: how scar-forming cells control rejection
Official title: The Fibrosis-Immunity Interface in Corneal Transplantation
Funded at Schepens Eye Research Institute · NIH-11369072 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant asks how scar-forming cells in the eye help or hinder immune rejection after a corneal transplant, with the goal of making transplants last longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Schepens Eye Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $545,532 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY037257-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11369072 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who have or may need corneal transplants and would benefit from therapies targeting myofibroblast signaling.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a corneal transplant or those not affected by alloimmune rejection may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Corneal transplants are common, but rejection is a major reason they fail. The project studies myofibroblasts, a type of cell linked to scarring, and how they interact with immune T cells in the eye. Researchers will use cell culture, and a mouse transplant model, to identify factors that control T cell activation and movement toward the graft. The goal is to uncover targets that could improve graft survival in patients. This work could lead to new approaches to prevent rejection after corneal transplantation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience longer-lasting corneal transplants with fewer rejection episodes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests myofibroblasts can influence T cell activity, supporting potential for this approach to improve graft survival.
Where this research is happening
-
Schepens Eye Research Institute
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dohlman, Thomas — Schepens Eye Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Dohlman, Thomas
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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.