New grant supports research into blinding retinal diseases

A University of Minnesota Medical School research team has been awarded a 4-year, $2.2 million grant from the National Eye Institute to better understand the underlying causes of retinal diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and develop new treatments that could benefit patients. 

This project will positively impact our knowledge of an important protein that resides outside of cells, called an extracellular matrix protein. Alterations in one particular extracellular matrix protein, called fibulin-3, causes a number of blinding eye diseases. Our research aims to develop additional tools to better understand fibulin-3 and provide potential therapeutics to prevent eye diseases associated with this protein."

John Hulleman, PhD, associate professor, University of Minnesota Medical School's Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences

The focus of this grant is to develop a tractable therapeutic for AMD and a rare retinal dystrophy called Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy/Malattia Leventinese (DHRD/ML).

The research team will:

• Test FDA-approved drugs aimed at reducing AMD symptoms
• Develop a better understanding of the role of extracellular matrix proteins produced by the retina
• Identify ways the body uses to control production and elimination of select retinal extracellular matrix proteins 

The study is currently underway. The grant number for this project is 2R01EY027785-07A1.