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NEI Research News

Thanks to the work of NEI scientists and grantees, we’re constantly learning new information about the causes and treatment of vision disorders. Get the latest updates about their work — along with other news about NEI.

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NEI launches video contest to inspire teens to explore science

Annual Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest inspires high school students from all backgrounds to explore science. Winners receive $2,000 and a trip to NIH.
Extracellular vesicle

Report on extracellular vesicles

A new report summarizes proceedings from an NEI workshop on extracellular vesicles (Evs) – cell-secreted nanoparticles that mediate cell-cell communication.

NEI study: New take on old marker of cell death

New findings from a National Eye Institute-led study add a twist on how a widely used cell death marker, annexin-V, can be interpreted in the lab and the clinic for tracking retinal cell death in eye diseases such as glaucoma.
optic nerves

Nerve regrowth in sight

UConn scientists led by Ephraim Trakhtenberg regrew optic nerves in mice through eye injections of fibronectin peptides (pieces of the larger protein).

UC Irvine-co-led study finds DNA damage is key factor in age-related macular degeneration

Study reveals how DNA damage, a hallmark of aging, compromises the retina’s function and accelerates vision loss. Targeting specific retinal cell types could lead to treatments that slow or stop progression.
Eye illustration

ARPA-H announces funding for development of eye transplantation

ARPA-H announced the teams to receive awards from its Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts (THEA) program.

CRISPR gene editing promising for blinding disease retinitis pigmentosa

National Eye Institute-funded scientists using gene editing corrected a mutation in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited blinding eye disorder. The gene editing strategy restored production of rhodopsin, and retinal function and structure
Zebrafish, imaged via fluorescence confocal microscopy

New model of neuronal circuit provides insight on eye movement

Working with week-old zebrafish larva, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and colleagues decoded how the connections formed by a network of neurons in the brainstem guide the fishes’ gaze.

NIH-led scientific team defines elements of brain-based visual impairment in children

Experts convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified five elements of a brain-based condition that has emerged as a leading cause of vision impairment starting in childhood in the United States and other industrialized nations.
Focus on Fellows 2024 winners and leadership

Focus on Fellows: Celebrating NEI's Research Trainees

The National Eye Institute (NEI) hosted its annual Focus on Fellows retreat on October 17-18, 2024, bringing together NEI trainees—graduate students, postbac fellows, and postdoctoral researchers—to enhance collaboration and foster career growth.