Mesenchymal stem cells to calm eye inflammation
Official title: Ocular Immune Regulation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Funded at Schepens Eye Research Institute · NIH-11225224 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are seeing if mesenchymal stem cells can reduce immune attacks that harm corneal transplants and other inflammatory eye conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Schepens Eye Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2015 |
| Project end | September 14, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,477,500 |
| NIH project number | 2R01EY024602-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11225224 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have had or are at high risk for corneal transplant rejection or who suffer from immune-driven inflammatory eye disease are the most likely future candidates for related therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose vision problems are due to non-immune causes (for example mechanical damage or age-related degeneration) are unlikely to benefit from MSC-based immune modulation.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, scientists are using a well-established mouse corneal transplant model to watch how mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) behave in the inflamed eye. They give MSCs after transplant and track whether the cells home to the ocular surface and change antigen-presenting cell activity. The team measures changes in graft-attacking T helper-1 cells and in Foxp3+ regulatory T cells to understand how immune responses are suppressed. Results aim to reveal mechanisms that could guide safer, more effective MSC-based therapies for people with corneal graft rejection or chronic eye inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that lower the chance of corneal graft rejection and help preserve vision by calming harmful immune responses in the eye.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies, including prior corneal transplant work, have shown MSCs can home to the eye and improve graft survival, but the precise mechanisms and broader human trial results are still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Schepens Eye Research Institute
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chauhan, Sunil K — Schepens Eye Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Chauhan, Sunil K
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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.