Strengthening the eye’s support tissues to protect vision in glaucoma
Targeting Tissue Biomechanics for Treatment of Glaucoma
The team is working on ways to modify the eye’s supporting tissues so retinal nerve fibers stay healthy and vision is preserved for people with glaucoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176159 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on the tissues around the optic nerve head that help support retinal nerve fibers and keep them healthy. Researchers are studying how elastic fibers and related genes (like LOXL1 and fibrillin) affect tissue strength, using mouse models and detailed tissue imaging and mechanical testing. They measure how stiff or soft the sclera and lamina cribrosa are and look for structural changes in collagen and elastin that could lead to nerve damage. The goal is to find ways to change tissue biomechanics that could eventually be translated into treatments to slow or prevent glaucoma-related vision loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with glaucoma or those at high risk for glaucoma—especially those with exfoliation syndrome or genetic variants affecting elastic fibers—would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with already advanced, irreversible optic nerve damage are unlikely to benefit from biomechanics-based therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that strengthen the optic nerve head and slow or prevent vision loss from glaucoma.
How similar studies have performed: Genetic and animal studies have linked elastic-fiber genes like LOXL1 to exfoliation glaucoma, but therapies that change eye tissue biomechanics in patients are largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuchtey, Rachel W — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kuchtey, Rachel W
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 below.