Muller glia and early diabetic retinopathy
Retinal Muller Glial Cells in the initiation of diabetic retinopathy
Researchers are looking at whether retinal support cells called Müller glia protect vision or cause early damage in people with diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11098608 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have diabetes, this work focuses on the retina's support cells (Müller glia) because they change early when diabetes affects the eye. The team uses single-cell RNA sequencing in diabetic models to see which genes turn on or off in each retinal cell type, and uses viral and CRISPR tools to change those genes to see what happens. They want to know whether Müller glia first activate protective responses and then lose them as disease progresses, which could let the retina become damaged. The goal is to identify targets that could be used to prevent or slow vision loss before blood vessels are severely affected.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with diabetes, especially those with early signs of diabetic retinopathy or at higher risk for retinal changes, would be the likely candidates for future trials informed by this work.
Not a fit: People with late-stage proliferative diabetic retinopathy or vision loss from non-diabetic causes are less likely to benefit directly from this early-stage research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could point to new ways to prevent or slow early vision loss from diabetic retinopathy by protecting or correcting Müller glia function.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell studies have previously shown Müller glia respond early in diabetes, but direct gene-editing or viral approaches to prevent retinopathy remain mostly at the preclinical stage.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Sui — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Wang, Sui
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 below.