Helping the eye's nerve cells survive and regrow after injury
Activity-related mechanisms of selective retinal ganglion cell resilience and axon regeneration
This project develops ways to help retinal ganglion cells — the eye's nerve cells — survive damage and regrow their connections to benefit people with glaucoma or optic nerve injuries.
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 ID | NIH-11094028 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are studying why some retinal ganglion cells die after injury while others survive and try to regrow their nerve fibers. They will use advanced lab experiments, mostly in preclinical animal models, to compare different cell types and to test how increasing nerve activity and specific molecular signals (like cAMP and calcium) affect survival and regeneration. The team combines genetic, physiological, and imaging methods to pinpoint the molecular switches that make some cells resilient. Findings are meant to guide future treatments that could protect vision or encourage recovery after optic nerve damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with glaucoma or recent optic nerve injury are the kinds of patients who could eventually be eligible for related clinical trials based on this work.
Not a fit: People with vision loss from other retinal diseases that do not involve retinal ganglion cell degeneration (for example primary macular degeneration) or those with very long-standing complete vision loss may not benefit from these approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that protect retinal neurons and promote nerve regrowth, potentially preserving or restoring vision in glaucoma and optic nerve injury.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies have shown that boosting retinal ganglion cell activity or targeting certain molecular pathways can improve survival or axon regrowth in some cell types, but effects have been limited and have not yet restored vision.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tran, Nicholas Minh Abell — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Tran, Nicholas Minh Abell
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.