Dr. Jing Wang from Medical College of Georgia awarded $70,000 Knights Templar Eye Foundation Grant for Retinopathy of Prematurity Research

Dr. Jing Wang from the Medical College of Georgia was awarded a $70,000 grant entitled: Sigma 1 Receptor: a novel therapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity

Dr. Wang wants to know how to rescue a blinding disease in childhood, called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). ROP is a disease damaging both vascular and neuronal part of retina, the back part of the eye. This damage leads to significant vision loss or total blindness in infant patients. Current clinical standard-of-care targets the vascular part. However, many children suffer vision loss even after this therapy. It is the neurons that allow visual images to be seen, so the damaged neuronal part also needs to be treated.

Our bodies have many molecular helpers, called receptors. They have discovered a unique receptor (Sig1R) that we think helps to rescue both vascular and neuronal structures of the eye. Dr. Wang will activate Sig1R in a mouse model of ROP. They will ask “Will Sig1R help rescue the neurovascular injury and let mice see well?” and “How long the rescue can persist?” the testing also is to see if we are correct by working with a mouse model that is missing Sig1R. When they have ROP disease, do they have a harder time seeing? Based on this study, a new medicine acting through Sig1R can be developed.

They hope that in the future when babies have ROP, doctors can give this medicine to them. This medicine will help them recover from both the damaged vessels and neurons in the eyes, and let them see well again.