Low blood sugar and oxygen-sensing proteins in early diabetic eye disease
Official title: Hypoxia Inducible Factors and Hypoglycemia in Early Diabetic Eye Disease
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11260228 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether brief drops in blood sugar trigger oxygen-sensing proteins that drive early diabetic eye damage in people with diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $519,721 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY035889-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11260228 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with diabetes, especially those with early nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy or a history of recurrent hypoglycemia, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetic eye disease, those with vision loss from other causes, or individuals with advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy may not receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This work looks at how short episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) change oxygen-sensing proteins called HIF-1α in the retina and may cause leaky blood vessel growth. Researchers will use laboratory experiments on retinal cells and tissue alongside samples from adults with diabetes to study the role of the p38 signaling pathway in HIF-1α activation. They will compare molecular changes seen in early nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy to those in later stages to pinpoint when and how these processes begin. The goal is to identify biological steps that could be targeted to prevent progression of diabetic eye disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or slow diabetic retinopathy by blocking the HIF-1α/p38 pathway triggered by low blood sugar.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have tied HIF activity to late-stage proliferative diabetic retinopathy, but linking transient hypoglycemia to HIF-driven changes in early disease is a newer area of research.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sodhi, Akrit Singh — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Sodhi, Akrit Singh
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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.