Nutrition and metabolism approach to prevent eye damage in premature babies
Official title: Metabolic basis of retinopathy of prematurity and potential treatment with anaplerotic substrates
Funded at Tufts Medical Center · NIH-11302698 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores whether giving specific nutrients that support liver and retinal energy metabolism can help prevent or reduce eye damage in premature newborns.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $443,360 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY035701-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11302698 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Premature infants at risk for ROP, especially very low birth weight babies or those receiving supplemental oxygen, would be the likely candidates for future treatments informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Babies with advanced retinal disease or cases of ROP driven mainly by non-metabolic causes may not benefit from metabolic supplements.
What this research studies
As a parent of a premature baby, this work looks at how oxygen treatment and nutrition change liver and eye metabolism and lead to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The researchers study how high oxygen shifts metabolism in retinal support cells (Müller cells), reducing glutamine needed for healthy blood-vessel growth, and they link this to liver-produced fats like DHA and arachidonic acid. They plan to test whether giving 'anaplerotic' substrates—nutrients that refill the cell's energy cycle, including certain medium-chain fats and amino-acid related substrates—can restore normal metabolism and protect the developing retina. The team uses lab models that mimic premature infant oxygen exposure and connects findings to human milk and nutrition to guide future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new nutrition-based therapies or supplements to lower the risk or severity of ROP in premature infants.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has tested long-chain fatty acids like DHA in animal models and some clinical trials with mixed results, while using anaplerotic substrates or medium-chain fats to refill retinal energy pathways is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
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Tufts Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Singh, Charandeep — Tufts Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Singh, Charandeep
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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TopoROP: Multi-View Analysis to Diagnose Retinopathy of Prematurity
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Long-term endotypes of prematurity-related lung disease in former preemies
A long-term study looking at why some babies born very early develop lasting breathing problems and how their genes might explain these different paths.
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Deep learning tool to diagnose retinopathy of prematurity in newborns
A new AI-based diagnostic tool uses eye images from premature babies to help clinicians identify treatment-needed retinopathy of prematurity.
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Cortical dystonia in kids born early
Researchers are studying why premature birth leads to dystonia in cerebral palsy and looking for new ways to help children and adults who have this condition.
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AI-enhanced wide-field eye scans for detecting retinopathy of prematurity
Using faster handheld wide-field eye scans plus AI to find early signs of retinopathy of prematurity in premature babies and help guide treatment.
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.