How the cell 'cleanup' system (ubiquitin) affects corneal scarring
Official title: THE UBIQUITIN PATHWAY IN CORNEAL SCARRING
Funded at Upstate Medical University · NIH-11285136 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether blocking a protein called USP10 can reduce scarring after cornea injury to help protect or restore vision.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2015 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $366,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY024942-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285136 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have had recent corneal injury, infection, surgery, or who are developing corneal scarring would be the most relevant candidates to engage with related studies or sample donation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with unrelated eye problems or very old, stable corneal scars that are unlikely to remodel may not see direct benefit from this line of work in the short term.
What this research studies
Researchers are exploring a cellular system called ubiquitin and a key protein, USP10, that seems to drive scarring in the cornea. They use donated primary human corneal cells and mouse models to see how USP10 controls cell behavior and survival through proteins like integrins and p53. The team is also growing corneal cells with immune cells on 3D hydrogels that mimic the healing cornea to study how macrophages influence scar-forming myofibroblasts. Findings could point to ways to limit harmful scarring after injury or infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that reduce corneal scarring and lower the risk of permanent vision loss after injury or infection.
How similar studies have gone: Early lab and animal work (including the investigators' own mouse studies) shows that reducing USP10 can lessen scarring, but human treatments based on this approach have not yet been developed.
Where this research is happening
-
Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bernstein, Audrey M — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Bernstein, Audrey M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How the left-right body axis forms during early development
This project explores how the left-right body axis is set up in early embryos, aiming to understand and prevent birth defects related to organ placement.
-
Unraveling how Ribosome Production Is Regulated in Human Cells
This grant explores how the enzyme that makes ribosomal RNA is put together and controlled, with potential connections to cancer and Treacher Collins Syndrome.
-
Defining immune markers predicting protection against dengue in a long-term family study in Thailand
This grant looks at how antibodies develop to protect against dengue in children from a long-running family cohort in Thailand, with the goal of identifying immune signs that predict protection across multiple dengue serotypes.
-
Understanding dengue protection in children from a long-term Thai family cohort
A long-term study in Thailand follows families to understand how early exposures to dengue shape protection and illness risk for children as they encounter the virus over time.
-
SLE treatment with N-acetylcysteine for lupus patients
This project tests whether N-acetylcysteine, a safe supplement, can help people with systemic lupus erythematosus by supporting the body's natural defenses and reducing disease activity.
-
Synaptopathy and CYLD in Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)
A new NIH-funded project will look at how CYLD gene changes contribute to synapse problems in people with frontotemporal dementia.
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.