New retinal imaging to detect brain small vessel disease
Official title: Novel retinal higher-order capillary hemodynamics imaging for detecting cerebral small vessel disease
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11607100 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A fast, wide-field eye imaging method will measure how tiny retinal blood vessels rhythmically flow to help detect early brain small vessel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | September 14, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $80,302 |
| NIH project number | 3OT2OD038131-01S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11607100 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults at risk for or suspected of having cerebral small vessel disease, and who can undergo retinal imaging and eye examination.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without retinal abnormalities or those unable to undergo eye imaging may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will create a high-speed, wide-field adaptive optics near-confocal ophthalmoscope using green light to measure pulsatile blood flow in retinal capillaries. By capturing dynamic blood flow across larger vessels down to capillaries, it aims to identify biomarkers that reflect microvascular health related to CSVD. The study will test the system’s performance, repeatability, and consistency across the macula, and then explore how these retinal measures relate to early brain vascular changes. If successful, this eye-based biomarker could complement MRI to detect CSVD earlier and more conveniently.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive earlier, less invasive indicators of brain small vessel disease through a retinal test.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows retinal imaging can reflect brain microvascular health, but direct retinal capillary flow biomarkers for CSVD are not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Jianhua — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Wang, Jianhua
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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.