Understanding how a protein called osteopontin affects aging eyes and dry age-related macular degeneration
Official title: Deciphering the role of osteopontin in the aging eye and age-related macular degeneration
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11384499 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Duke is studying how osteopontin, a protein involved in inflammation, may contribute to aging of the eye and the most common cause of vision loss in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $459,739 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY035126-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384499 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are older adults at risk for or affected by dry AMD, and individuals contributing eye tissue or cells for mechanistic studies as appropriate.
✕Less likely to help
People without AMD or age-related eye changes may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This grant looks at how aging changes retinal cells and how osteopontin might drive or protect against degeneration in the eye. The researchers plan to study osteopontin’s many roles—from inflammation to cell survival—to understand its involvement in dry AMD. The project will use human-relevant eye biology and animal or cellular models to explore how different forms of osteopontin function in aging tissue. Findings could point to new approaches to protect vision in older adults with AMD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new ideas for preventing or slowing dry AMD and vision loss in older people.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked inflammatory pathways and osteopontin to neurodegenerative processes, suggesting potential relevance to AMD, though the exact role in dry AMD remains to be clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Malek, Goldis — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Malek, Goldis
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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.