OCT-based functional biomarkers for degenerative diseases of the photoreceptor-RPE-choroid neurovascular unit
Description: Project Narrative In clinical trials of drugs and other therapies to treat blinding diseases of the retina, the FDA’s recommendation is to use functional assessment, as it is likely to provide earlier indications of their efficacy. In our lab we have discovered a novel way to measure neural function at the cellular level in the living, human retina (the optoretinogram), using equipment very similar to that employed in commercial, clinical imaging systems. The optoretinogram may prove to be faster, less invasive, and more sensitive to neural dysfunction than existing functional tests. The goal of this grant is to study and improve the technology, and then demonstrate its sensitivity to disease-related dysfunction in patients with inherited retinal degenerations and early to intermediate age-related macular degeneration.
Funder: National Eye Institute
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: R01
Start date: 2023-09-30
End date: 2028-06-30
Investigator: RAVI S. JONNAL
Institution: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
Funded outputs count: 16
Funder award ID: R01EY034340
OpenAlex ID: G9000900595