Dr. Yang Liu from the University of North Texas Awarded $70,000 Grant for Congenital Glaucoma Research

Dr. Yang Liu from the University of North Texas Health Science Center was awarded a $70,000 grant for her research entitled:
The role of astrocyte mechanotransduction in congenital glaucoma

Congenital glaucoma is an eye disease that affects children between the ages of birth and three years. Although the disease is rare, it is one the significant causes of childhood blindness. Congenital glaucoma is usually caused by increased pressure inside the eye, which is due to developmental abnormalities in the front of the eye. The buildup of pressure in the eye compresses the visual sensing structures in the back of the eye, which leads to blindness. The goal of this project is to better understand the mechanisms involved in glaucomatous injury to the eye. They will be using a mouse model that has similar ocular characteristics to patients with congenital glaucoma, as well as the cells isolated from the major site of glaucomatous injury.

They will investigate how increased pressure inside the eye changes activity of the cells in the back of the eye and causes damage to the visual sensing structures. This research will help identify mechanisms of the disease that will serve as new targets for the development of effective glaucoma treatments.