New long RNA molecules that might help optic nerve cells survive after injury
The role of novel lincRNAs in regulating RGC survival after injury
This project looks at whether changing levels of specific long noncoding RNAs can help retinal ganglion cells (the eye's nerve cells) survive after optic nerve injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11287863 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will identify long noncoding RNAs that become active in retinal ganglion cells after axon injury using RNA sequencing and ATAC-seq. They will use adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) to raise or lower those RNAs in retinal ganglion cells in controlled animal injury models. The team will screen candidate RNAs with AAV-delivered shRNAs to find ones that improve cell survival after optic nerve damage. Promising targets would be advanced toward later studies aimed at developing neuroprotective therapies for optic neuropathies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with recent optic nerve injury or degenerative optic neuropathies (for example glaucoma) would be the likely eventual candidates for therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: People with eye conditions unrelated to optic nerve damage or those with long-standing, end-stage vision loss are unlikely to receive direct benefit from these early-stage experiments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new molecular targets for treatments that protect retinal ganglion cells in optic neuropathy or glaucoma.
How similar studies have performed: Other preclinical approaches have shown partial neuroprotection in animal models and clinical neuroprotection trials are ongoing, but directly targeting lncRNAs is relatively new and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park, Kevin Kyung — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Park, Kevin Kyung
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.