Understanding Optic Nerve Head Astrocyte Contributions to Glaucoma

The goal of this project is to investigate the effects of aging and elevated intraocular pressure on optic nerve head (ONH) astrocyte gene expression and function.

This project aims to define the signaling pathways in optic nerve head (ONH) astrocytes that regulate immune cell-mediated neurodegeneration in glaucoma to guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

This project will utilize an inducible mouse model of glaucoma in combination with novel gene therapy vectors to directly study the astrocyte population hypothesized to drive disease progression. Conceptual advances include defining the unique and shared contributions of age and elevated intraocular pressure to glaucoma, and identification of novel regulators of ONH astrocyte gene expression underlying degenerative functions.

This work will serve as the foundation for future astrocyte-targeted therapeutics designed to mitigate or reverse the effects of glaucoma, significantly improving patient vision and quality of life.