Grant: Project Grant

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, affecting more than 80 million people. There is no cure, and current therapies are insufficient to prevent disease progression. Vision loss results from the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells, the neurons that transmit visual information from the retina to the brain. Elevated intraocular pressure is the major risk factor, yet pathological changes occur years or even decades before symptoms appear. As a result, there is a critical unmet need for therapies that promote retinal ganglion cell regeneration and restore vision. In this application, we will define the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive retinal ganglion cell regeneration. This innovative project will identify key signaling and metabolic pathways that support dendritic arbor regrowth and neural circuit repair, providing essential knowledge to guide the development of future regenerative therapies and clinical trials for glaucoma.