Understanding how aging affects lens fluids and cataracts
Official title: Age related changes in lens transport and cataract
Funded at State University New York Stony Brook · NIH-11298036 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We’re studying how aging changes the lens in the eye and contributes to cataracts, with findings that could help keep vision clearer as people get older.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2016 |
| Project end | March 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $257,824 |
| NIH project number | 2R01EY026911-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11298036 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals or animal models used in related aging and lens research; in practice, this study uses mouse models to understand human lens aging.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefits to patients may be limited until findings translate to human interventions.
What this research studies
This grant aims to uncover how aging affects the lens’s internal transport system, which keeps the lens transparent. Researchers will study aged mouse lenses using single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to spot genes involved in lens microcirculation. They will also use MRI to watch how water moves inside the lens when transport proteins are altered, helping connect molecular changes to vision changes. The goal is to link aging-related changes in water and ion balance to the development of cataracts and presbyopia, potentially guiding new prevention or treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new ways to maintain lens transparency and delay cataracts as people age.
How similar studies have gone: Similar approaches have yielded insights into tissue aging and transporter function, though applying them to the lens is an evolving area with ongoing validation.
Where this research is happening
-
State University New York Stony Brook
Stony Brook, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: White, Thomas W — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: White, Thomas W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How the aging lens affects vision and what we can do about it
This grant studies how aging changes lens water and ion balance to cause cataracts and presbyopia, with the goal of better preserving vision for aging adults.
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Role of S100 Proteins in the Eye Lens and Cataract
A study at Duke University will explore how S100 family proteins affect lens clarity and shape to understand why cataracts develop.
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.