How donor diabetes affects cornea transplant success
Official title: The Impact of Donor Diabetes on Corneal Immune Cells and Graft Survival
Funded at Schepens Eye Research Institute · NIH-11175982 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $418,625 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY033288-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11175982 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
Schepens Eye Research Institute
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dana, Reza — Schepens Eye Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Dana, Reza
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
HEARTS hypertension and diabetes care in Guatemala
This grant tests how well the HEARTS primary care model works in Guatemala to improve blood pressure and blood sugar control for patients.
-
Retinal signals in early diabetes and how they affect vision
This grant looks at how diabetes changes the signals in the retina that control vision, with a focus on inner retinal cells and how these changes may lead to vision problems.
-
Integrated Heart Health: A HEARTS-based approach to hypertension and diabetes in Guatemala
A study tests a team-based, stepwise care model to improve blood pressure and blood sugar control for people with both hypertension and diabetes in Guatemala.
-
Bringing WHO HEARTS-D diabetes care into Bangladesh cities
A program to help urban clinics in Bangladesh adopt WHO HEARTS-D guidelines to improve detection, treatment, and control of type 2 diabetes.
-
AI-powered fundus imaging to screen for type 2 diabetes
A mobile AI tool uses eye images to help screen adults for type 2 diabetes in clinics or communities.
-
AI-powered eye imaging to screen for type 2 diabetes with a mobile phone
A plan to use AI on smartphone retinal images to help spot type 2 diabetes early, especially in people who may not have easy access to care.
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.