Regulating brain activity to help retinal cell replacement work
Official title: Regulating host neural activity to improve retinal ganglion cell replacement therapies
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11531377 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies whether adjusting neural activity in the eye can help transplanted retinal cells connect with existing vision pathways to protect or restore sight in glaucoma patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00EY036122-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11531377 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with glaucoma or related retinal degeneration who might benefit from future cell-based therapies and who could participate in future translational studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not eligible for cell transplantation approaches or those without access to future clinical trials may not benefit.
What this research studies
The project focuses on improving how transplanted retinal cells integrate into the eye’s visual system by altering neural signals in the retina. It uses chemogenetic tools to selectively modulate host cell activity during experiments and advanced multielectrode recordings to measure how well donor cells connect with the eye’s neurons. The work aims to create scalable methods to quantify functional donor-host synapses, potentially informing future therapies for glaucoma-related vision loss. The research is conducted at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and centers on translating basic findings into strategies that could enhance the effectiveness of retina cell replacement therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to more effective retina cell replacement therapies that restore or preserve vision for people with glaucoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed improved donor cell integration with chemical cues, but functional connectivity remains to be demonstrated; this study explores that next step.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Soucy, Jonathan R — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Soucy, Jonathan R
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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.