Mapping how light affects the human retina's nerve cells
Official title: Leveraging Single Cell Stimulation to Untangle Parallel Perceptual Pathways in the Human Retina
Funded at University of California Berkeley · NIH-11009942 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how different types of light affect the cells in your eyes that help you see, and it's for people who want to understand more about how our vision works and how it might be improved in the future.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $45,965 |
| NIH project number | 5F31EY035945-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11009942 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation would include individuals with healthy vision or specific retinal conditions who are interested in understanding visual processing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with severe retinal damage or those who are unable to participate in visual stimulation tasks may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to explore how individual light stimuli impact the activity of retinal ganglion cells in the human retina. By using advanced techniques to stimulate photoreceptors and measure the resulting neural responses, the study seeks to create a detailed map of how visual information is processed before reaching the brain. This work will involve human participants and aims to connect the physiological responses of retinal cells to the conscious perception of vision. The findings could enhance our understanding of visual processing and potentially inform future treatments for vision-related conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for visual impairments by enhancing our understanding of how the retina encodes visual information.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using adaptive optics for retinal stimulation is established, this specific mapping of human retinal ganglion cells is a novel endeavor.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnston, Leah — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Johnston, Leah
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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.