Using the immune system to control abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina
Official title: Innate immunomodulation of retinal neovascularization
Funded at Tufts Medical Center · NIH-11142454 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if changing innate immune signals can stop harmful new blood vessels that lead to vision loss in people with proliferative retinopathies like retinopathy of prematurity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $391,912 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY036414-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11142454 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People affected by retinal diseases driven by neovascular growth—such as retinopathy of prematurity, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or neovascular age-related macular degeneration—would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose vision problems are from non-neovascular causes (for example cataract or long-standing retinal scarring/detachment) are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how innate immune cells guide the harmful growth of new blood vessels in the retina that can cause blindness. Researchers will use laboratory and animal models to map the signaling molecules and immune cell behaviors that drive or reverse neovascular growth. The team plans to test ways to shift those immune signals toward stopping or regressing pathological vessels. If human samples or clinical elements are included, volunteers may be asked to provide samples or take part in future related clinical work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new treatments that prevent or reverse vision loss from abnormal retinal blood vessel growth.
How similar studies have gone: Existing anti-VEGF therapies help many patients, but targeting innate immune or peripheral immune cell pathways is a newer approach with mainly preclinical evidence so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gnanaguru, Gopalan — Tufts Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Gnanaguru, Gopalan
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.