Immune cells beside retinal blood vessels and their role in eye inflammation
Retinal perivascular macrophages: ontology and function during neuroinflammation
Researchers will learn how immune cells that sit next to blood vessels in the retina influence inflammation in conditions like diabetic retinopathy and uveitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11249593 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This lab-based project uses mouse models and genetic labeling to trace where retinal perivascular macrophages come from and how long they live. The team will selectively remove these cells and watch how that changes entry of other immune cells into the retina after inflammatory triggers. They will also examine the genes these macrophages express to see if they signal for monocytes, neutrophils, or lymphocytes to come into the eye. Findings aim to explain how these vessel-associated immune cells shape retinal inflammation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with inflammatory retinal conditions such as diabetic retinopathy or posterior uveitis are the patient groups most likely to benefit from this research, though the project does not enroll patients.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatments or those without retinal inflammatory disease are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this lab-based study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new targets to limit harmful immune cell entry into the retina and help prevent vision loss from inflammatory retinal diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Related studies in the brain show perivascular macrophages can control barrier permeability, but applying these findings specifically to the retina is a relatively new and understudied approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lavine, Jeremy a — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Lavine, Jeremy a
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.