Synthetic tooth‑in‑eye corneal implant
Official title: Synthetic osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP, Tooth-in-Eye surgery)
Funded at Old Dominion University · NIH-11235441 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A lab‑made corneal implant meant to replace the tooth-and-bone piece of 'tooth‑in‑eye' surgery for people with severely damaged corneas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Old Dominion University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Norfolk, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $399,032 |
| NIH project number | 7R21EY035480-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235441 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with severely damaged corneas or multiple corneal graft failures (for example due to Stevens–Johnson syndrome, chemical burns, trachoma, pemphigoid, or repeated graft failure) who are being considered for OOKP would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose corneas can be restored with standard corneal transplants or who have other eye conditions that make OOKP inappropriate are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project aims to build a synthetic keratoprosthesis to replace the patient's tooth and surrounding bone that are currently used in osteo‑odonto‑keratoprosthesis (OOKP). The team will manufacture the device based on their recently issued patent and study how it becomes vascularized and holds an optical cylinder. The work follows the two‑stage OOKP approach—creating a vascularized implant in a submuscular pouch and then inserting it into the eye—but uses a synthetic frame instead of harvesting a tooth. This is an early‑stage development effort focused on device design and preclinical testing before routine use in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could avoid harvesting a patient's tooth and jawbone, making the procedure less invasive and more accessible.
How similar studies have gone: The traditional OOKP using a patient’s own tooth has good long‑term results, but using a fully synthetic replacement is novel and largely untested in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tayebi, Lobat — Old Dominion University
- Study coordinator: Tayebi, Lobat
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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.