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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 publishes town hall report on cell-based products for treating retinal disease

The National Eye Institute has published "Stem cell sources and characterization in the development of cell-based products for treating retinal disease: An NEI town hall report."
Rods and Cones image

Early study shows cones in retinal degeneration, thought to be dormant, may retain visual function

New UCLA research in mice suggests that “dormant” cone photoreceptors in the degenerating retina are not dormant at all, but continue to function, producing responses to light and driving retinal activity for vision.

Small creatures teach big lessons

In the vision field, researchers turn to a variety of small, non-mammalian animal models to help bridge gaps in our scientific knowledge.
Microscopy image of red fluorescent retinal neurons

Lab-grown retinal eye cells make successful connections, open door for clinical trials to treat blindness

Retinal cells grown from stem cells can reach out and connect with neighbors, according to a new study, completing a “handshake” that may show the cells are ready for trials in humans with degenerative eye disorders.
Microelectrode array and 2-photon microscope.

Human brain organoids implanted into mouse cortex respond to visual stimuli for first time

A team of engineers and neuroscientists has demonstrated for the first time that human brain organoids implanted in mice have established functional connectivity to the animals’ cortex and responded to external sensory stimuli.
Fluorescently labeled injured zebrafish retina.

Study identifies a signaling cascade behind retina regeneration in zebrafish

Research from University of Michigan scientists reveals Vegf-Notch signaling system that is activated in the injured retina, gives Muller glia stem cell properties.
LCA is an inherited disorder that causes vision loss in childhood. It primarily affects the functioning of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, as shown here. Photo credit: National Eye Institute

Eye-opening discovery about adult brain’s ability to recover vision

University of California, Irvine team demonstrates the adult brain has the potential to partially recover from inherited blindness.
Fluorencent microscope image of retinal organoid colored in red, blue and green

Three teams win NIH’s 3D Retinal Organoid Challenge

Three scientific teams that developed physiologically competent retinal organoid systems have won the final phase of the 3D Retinal Organoid Challenge (3D ROC).
Photoreceptor precursors

Progress toward a stem cell–based therapy for blindness

A multi-institutional effort led by researchers at the UPenn School of Veterinary Medicine is taking steps to develop an effective technique to regenerate photoreceptors cells and restore sight in people with vision disorders.
NEI AGI audacious Goals Initiative for Regenerative Medicine

NEI's regenerative medicine initiative making progress toward its audacious goal

A new report outlines progress toward the National Eye Institute's Audacious Goals Initiative (AGI), an effort to restore vision through research in regenerative medicine. The report, published in Nature Medicine.

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