UAMS receives $2.2 million grant to study immune response to eye disease

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) received a five-year $2,195,685 federal grant to study how modulating the body’s immune response may potentially benefit patients with certain eye diseases.

The National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded the grant to a laboratory led by Abdel Fouda, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine. Fouda specializes in studying retinal ischemic diseases, which are common causes of vision impairment caused by a lack of blood flow to the retina. His lab focuses on developing new therapies for ischemic and trauma-induced retinopathy.

The grant allows Fouda’s lab to study the role of a certain type of immune cells, called myeloid cells, in retinopathy. In a process called efferocytosis, myeloid cells engulf, or eat, and remove dead cells as part of the body’s natural immune response. Although efferocytosis is well-documented for various diseases, its impact on retinopathy is largely unknown.

Fouda’s initial data shows that efferocytosis could play a beneficial role in treating retinopathy. The project will explore methods of treatment to enhance myeloid cell-mediated efferocytosis, potentially leading to improved injury recovery and better patient outcomes.

“I am very excited that we secured this grant,” Fouda said. “This is the second R-type grant for the lab in just three years. I extend my heartfelt thanks to my team for their hard work and dedication to bring this fund to UAMS.”

Ischemia is a key concern for eye health in Arkansas, which has the fourth-highest rate of visual acuity loss in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes is one major contributor to this issue.