Molecular Regulators of Cone Opsin Trafficking
Funded at West Virginia University · NIH-11441763 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how light-sensitive cone proteins are moved to the part of the eye that detects light, with the goal of helping people with certain inherited eye diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | West Virginia University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Morgantown, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $420,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R21EY039436-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11441763 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with cone-related retinal conditions (e.g., blue cone monochromacy, cone dystrophy) who could participate in future translational studies or be eligible for emerging therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Current study does not involve enrolling patients; it focuses on basic mechanisms in animal models to inform future human therapies.
What this research studies
This project investigates how cone opsins—proteins essential for color vision—are transported within human cone cells. Using two innovative knock-in mouse models, researchers will identify and validate proteins that control opsin trafficking to the cone outer segments, a process critical for maintaining sharp daytime vision. The findings aim to inform the development of gene therapies to restore cone function in diseases like blue cone monochromacy and cone dystrophies. The work addresses a key gap since cone trafficking mechanisms are different from those of rods and require cone-specific study. Results could lay the groundwork for future treatments that preserve or restore central vision in affected patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could enable gene-based therapies that restore or preserve central vision in people with cone-related retinal diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work on cone biology suggests that unraveling trafficking pathways can enable targeted therapies, though cone-specific trafficking is less explored.
Where this research is happening
-
West Virginia University
Morgantown, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deng, Wen-Tao — West Virginia University
- Study coordinator: Deng, Wen-Tao
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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.