Role of cellular memory in glaucoma
Official title: Role of cellular memory in glaucoma.
Funded at Upstate Medical University · NIH-11418926 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how eye cells in glaucoma “remember” mechanical stress and stay diseased even after conditions improve, with the goal of finding ways to prevent ongoing eye pressure damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $407,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY034096-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418926 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with primary open-angle glaucoma or preclinical glaucoma-like TM cell models derived from human tissue.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without glaucoma or without access to TM cell-based approaches may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This research uses human trabecular meshwork cells grown in a bioengineered, soft-to-stiff matrix to mimic eye tissue and study how memory of mechanical stress forms and persists. It will map the changes in cell behavior and gene regulation, especially focusing on a key regulator called YAP, to understand why glaucomatous cells keep a harmful state. The team will examine chromatin remodeling and epigenetic changes to see how memory is stored long-term, using tunable hydrogels that reflect the eye’s environment. The project combines cell biology, biophysics, and biomedical engineering to connect mechanical signals with molecular effects in glaucoma cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to new therapies that prevent or reverse the persistent cellular changes driving high eye pressure in glaucoma.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows mechanical forces can alter TM cells, but this proposal aims to define memory formation and maintenance mechanisms, which is a novel extension.
Where this research is happening
-
Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Herberg, Samuel — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Herberg, Samuel
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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.