How donor diabetes affects cornea transplant success
The Impact of Donor Diabetes on Corneal Immune Cells and Graft Survival
This project looks at whether corneas from donors with diabetes change immune cells and influence transplant outcomes for people who need cornea transplants.
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 ID | NIH-11175982 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you need a cornea transplant, this work is studying whether a donor's history of diabetes changes immune cells in the donor cornea and makes grafts more likely to fail. The team is using laboratory models (including mouse models) to examine corneal immune cells from diabetic versus non-diabetic donors and to track graft survival. Findings will be related back to eye‑banking practices and donor tissue selection. Over time the researchers may compare laboratory results with human tissue and eye‑bank records to see if animal findings match real-world transplants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who are candidates for corneal transplantation would be the main group most likely to benefit from changes in donor selection informed by this work.
Not a fit: People who do not need corneal transplants, children, or patients whose graft problems are unrelated to donor tissue quality may not directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could help eye banks and surgeons choose donor corneas that give patients a better chance of long-term transplant success.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal studies and some clinical reports suggest donor diabetes can harm graft survival, but translating those findings into routine human donor selection is still new and unproven.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Schepens Eye Research Institute — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dana, Reza — Schepens Eye Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Dana, Reza
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.