New ideas about how diabetic retinopathy damages the eye
Official title: A new pathogenic mechanism for diabetic retinopathy
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11387559 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused look at how a molecule called PPARα may control inflammation in the retina to prevent or lessen diabetic retinopathy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2009 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $474,114 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY019309-16 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387559 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with diabetes at risk for or with early signs of diabetic retinopathy.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes-related eye disease or those not considered for retinal studies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project studies why the retina becomes inflamed in diabetes and how activating PPARα might calm microglial cells that drive damage. By using animal models and human retinal samples, the researchers aim to uncover how PPARα affects mitochondrial health and immune signaling in the eye. The work builds on existing findings that a PPARα drug can improve retinal condition in diabetes, and seeks to clarify the mechanism so future treatments can be more effective and targeted. If successful, this could lead to better options to protect vision for people with diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding this pathway could lead to new treatments that protect vision for people with diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous clinical observations suggest PPARα activation may improve retinal outcomes in diabetes, supporting further exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Jian-Xing Jay — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Ma, Jian-Xing Jay
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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.