The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus will receive up to $46 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to advance pioneering research aimed at curing total blindness through human eye transplantation. The award will support the work of the Total Human Eye-allotransplantation Innovation Advancement (THEIA) project team led by principal investigator and surgeon-scientist Kia Washington, MD.
The goal of the project is to develop strategies for regenerating the optic nerve and improving post-operative care to restore vision in individuals with total blindness. The team will start by using animal models to test forward optic nerve regenerative strategies, immunosuppression, and post-operative care.
According to Washington, the successful reattachment of the optic nerve is a complex part of the procedure that requires precise monitoring and aftercare to ensure the brain receives the correct signals. Huang’s team will focus on studying how the immune system reacts to the new eye to prevent transplant rejection.
The research has the potential to not only cure total blindness but also offer new solutions for other neurodegenerative disorders, such as spinal cord injuries, brain damage, and progressive brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The project will be a collaborative effort with several partners, including Johns Hopkins University, the University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, and the National Eye Institute.
This funding is seen as a transformative milestone for CU Anschutz and its partners, accelerating their mission to revolutionize vision restoration and regenerative medicine.
Source: https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/university-of-colorado-anschutz-medical-campus-led-team-receives-up-to-46-million-to-develop-innovative-treatment-to-cure-blindness