Understanding how newt iris cells can become lens tissue to guide eye healing
Official title: Upon Solving the Secrets for Lens Transdifferentiation
Funded at Miami University Oxford · NIH-11333717 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how a special kind of salamander-like newt can repair its eye lens by reprogramming iris cells, in the hope of finding new ways to treat human eye diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miami University Oxford NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oxford, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $381,408 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY035325-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333717 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be researchers and clinicians studying eye regeneration or patients with lens-related blindness participating in future translational studies.
✕Less likely to help
Current patients will not directly receive a treatment from this basic science study.
What this research studies
This research focuses on how iris pigment epithelial cells in the Pleurodeles waltl newt can transdifferentiate into lens progenitor cells after injury. Using the newly available Pleurodeles waltl genome, the team will explore signaling pathways like BMP and Ephrin that may control regenerative competence, particularly differences between dorsal and ventral iris cells. The project will employ ATAC-seq to map accessible chromatin in human-relevant models and relate these findings to conserved eye-development signals. Findings could point toward strategies for promoting lens regeneration or preventing blindness in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform future therapies aimed at repairing or regenerating damaged human eye lens tissue.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in other regenerative models suggests that conserved signaling pathways can govern tissue regeneration, supporting potential progress here.
Where this research is happening
-
Miami University Oxford
Oxford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Del Rio-Tsonis, Katia — Miami University Oxford
- Study coordinator: Del Rio-Tsonis, Katia
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.