Targeting cell signaling to help optic nerve repair
Official title: Phosphoinositide Signaling and Optic Nerve Regeneration
Funded at Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11258407 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing whether fixing specific cell-signaling and stress pathways can help damaged optic nerves regrow for people with glaucoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006638-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258407 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with glaucoma who have lost vision due to retinal ganglion cell and optic nerve damage would be the likely candidates for future clinical trials based on this research.
✕Less likely to help
People whose vision loss comes from non-glaucoma causes (for example macular degeneration or cataract) are unlikely to benefit from these optic nerve–focused strategies.
What this research studies
This project uses a mouse model that mimics glaucoma by raising eye pressure with silicone oil to study retinal ganglion cell loss. Scientists watch ganglion cells with special calcium sensors and manipulate a protein called INPP5K along with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways. They measure whether these interventions boost protein synthesis, promote axon (optic nerve) regrowth, and improve ganglion cell function. The goal is to find approaches that could eventually be translated into treatments to restore vision after glaucoma-related nerve damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to treatments that encourage optic nerve regeneration and help preserve or restore vision in glaucoma patients.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies targeting related signaling and stress pathways have produced some axon regrowth, but restoring vision in humans with these methods remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Yang — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Sun, Yang
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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.