Neurovascular problems in sickle cell eye disease
Official title: Neurovascular dysfunction in sickle cell retinopathy
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11424823 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how blood vessel problems in sickle cell disease affect the retina and vision, with the goal of finding clearer ways to measure and track these changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 4, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $490,238 |
| NIH project number | 1R01EY039232-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11424823 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children and adults with sickle cell disease who have or are at risk for sickle cell retinopathy and can participate in regular follow-up over several years.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without sickle cell disease or with advanced but non-researchable ocular conditions may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
People with sickle cell disease often develop sickle cell retinopathy that can threaten vision. The study will use new methods to measure how blood vessel problems relate to retinal function and structure over time in a large group of patients. Researchers will test retinal function with electrophysiology, assess visual behavior, and identify key brain-eye signal changes. The results could lead to better clinical tests and outcome measures for future trials aimed at protecting vision.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve how doctors monitor SCR and support development of treatments to preserve vision in sickle cell patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows neurovascular links in SCR, but this project aims to quantify them over time with new methods, making it a novel but promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcanany, James Jason — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Mcanany, James Jason
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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.