Open, shareable OCT imaging data to speed eye disease research
Official title: Export and Integration of Ophthalmic Optical Coherence Tomography Data Across Institutions (OCT)
Funded at Schepens Eye Research Institute · NIH-11428427 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH grant aims to create an open, fast way to export and share 3-D eye scans (OCT) from multiple clinics to help researchers develop better AI tools for diagnosing and tracking eye diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Schepens Eye Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $506,030 |
| NIH project number | 1R01EY039476-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11428427 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients whose OCT scans are stored at participating institutions could contribute to or benefit from improved AI-assisted diagnosis and care.
✕Less likely to help
Patients at non-participating centers or without OCT data may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on standardizing and exporting OCT scans so researchers can use big data and machine learning to improve eye care. It will develop an open data format in both clinical-friendly DICOM and machine-learning-friendly HDF5, plus fast exporting tools. By linking with major registries and experts, it aims to unlock millions of existing scans that are currently hard to access. The work is technical but directly supports advancing diagnosis and monitoring of blindness-causing conditions through better data sharing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may benefit from faster, more accurate eye disease screening and monitoring through improved AI tools.
How similar studies have gone: Related efforts have shown that standardized, shareable data formats can accelerate medical AI development, though OCT-specific open formats are a newer area.
Where this research is happening
-
Schepens Eye Research Institute
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elze, Tobias — Schepens Eye Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Elze, Tobias
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How immune responses cause long-term eye damage after nitrogen mustard exposure
Researchers are looking at how immune cells lead to lasting cornea injury after sudden nitrogen mustard exposure to help people with mustard gas–related eye damage.
-
smartphones help kids see better in Africa
A smartphone-based tool helps children in Africa measure vision errors so they can get eyeglasses more easily.
-
Population-wide deep learning glaucoma screening Models
Aims to create AI eye-screening tools that work well for diverse populations so people can get easy glaucoma checks from primary care or pharmacies.
-
Immune factors driving long-term eye damage from nitrogen mustard exposure
A research project explores how immune responses contribute to chronic eye damage after nitrogen mustard exposure, aiming to improve care for people at risk.
-
Corneal Healing: How Epithelium and Stroma Talk to Prevent Scarring
A study exploring how the surface layer of the cornea and the underlying tissue communicate to control healing and scarring after an injury.
-
Donor Diabetes and Early Immune Changes in Corneal Transplants
This grant looks at how a donor’s diabetes might affect immune cells in the eye and the long-term success of corneal transplants in people who may need them.
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.