Dissecting retinal glial regulome to refine AMD risk genes and networks
Official title: Dissecting retinal glial regulome to refine age-related macular degeneration risk loci and disease network
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11224284 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how genetic and epigenetic changes in retinal glial cells contribute to age-related macular degeneration, with the goal of better understanding why some people develop AMD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $487,986 |
| NIH project number | 1R01EY036365-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11224284 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People at risk for or diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, particularly those interested in genetic and molecular research.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without AMD or not contributing samples or data will not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has AMD, this study aims to map how AMD-associated genetic variants influence retina cells and inflammation. Researchers will use advanced genomic tools to study how retinal glia respond to risk variants and how this affects neuroinflammation linked to AMD. The work focuses on decoding regulatory DNA in glial cells to connect genetic risk to cellular behavior and disease mechanisms. The findings could point to new directions for therapies that target glial function and inflammation in AMD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding regulatory mechanisms in retinal glia could lead to new strategies to prevent or slow AMD progression.
How similar studies have gone: Prior genomic studies have linked AMD risk variants to immune pathways, and functional genomics approaches are increasingly successful in linking variants to regulatory mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Priya, Rinki Ratna — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Priya, Rinki Ratna
Related research
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Targeting inflammation in age-related macular degeneration
Aims to understand how inflammation drives age-related macular degeneration in people and explore new targets to slow or stop vision loss.
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.