Investigating how age and stress affect retinal cells in macular degeneration
Official title: Does age/stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction induce variations in RPE phenotype in AMD?
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11041060 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how aging and stress from smoking affect the eye cells in people with age-related macular degeneration, to find out how these changes might lead to the disease getting worse and to help develop better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $651,702 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY035805-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11041060 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults, particularly those with a history of smoking or early signs of age-related macular degeneration.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without age-related macular degeneration or those who are not of advanced age may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the impact of aging and stress, particularly from cigarette smoking, on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It aims to understand how mitochondrial dysfunction in these cells contributes to variations in their behavior and potentially leads to disease progression. By examining the cellular changes and signaling pathways involved, the study seeks to uncover mechanisms that could inform new treatment strategies for AMD. Patients may be involved in providing samples or data to help elucidate these processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic approaches for preventing or treating age-related macular degeneration.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a significant role in age-related diseases, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Shusheng — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Wang, Shusheng
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.