Protecting the eye's nerve cells that transmit vision
Official title: Neuroprotection of retinal ganglion cells.
Funded at York College · NIH-11325443 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will test whether a mitochondrial-targeting peptide called HDAP2 can help protect retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury, with the goal of helping people with glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or optic nerve trauma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | York College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Jamaica, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $162,422 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM149428-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325443 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with conditions that damage the optic nerve—such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or recent optic nerve trauma—would be the kinds of patients who might ultimately benefit from this line of research.
✕Less likely to help
People with long-standing, advanced, and irreversible optic nerve damage are less likely to benefit from a neuroprotective therapy aimed at saving vulnerable but not-yet-lost cells.
What this research studies
This is a preclinical project using an optic nerve injury model in adult animals to mimic the nerve damage seen in glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and traumatic optic neuropathy. The team will give a peptide called HDAP2 that targets mitochondria and then look at whether retinal ganglion cells survive better, keep their dendrites, and maintain healthier mitochondrial structure. Outcomes will include counts of surviving nerve cells, measurements of dendritic arbor preservation, and examination of mitochondrial morphology in affected neurons. This work is being done in a laboratory setting and is not enrolling human participants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could preserve retinal ganglion cells and slow or prevent vision loss from optic nerve-related diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Other laboratory and animal studies of mitochondrial-protecting compounds have shown promise for protecting nerve cells, but such approaches have not yet been proven effective in people.
Where this research is happening
-
York College
Jamaica, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Macneil, Margaret — York College
- Study coordinator: Macneil, Margaret
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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.