Regulators of Retinal Metabolism in Healthy and Degenerating Retinas

Inherited retinal degenerations and age-related macular degeneration affect more than two million people in the United States. For 90 percent of the people afflicted with these diseases, no treatments have been developed.

This project will test a drug with strong therapeutic potential, and it will define a specific pathway involving AMPK and PGC-1 that can be activated to protect retinal neurons and RPE from inherited mutations and age-related degeneration.

This in vivo study is designed to directly determine the role of mitochondrial gene expression and function as a contributing factor to inherited retinal degeneration and age-dependent macular degeneration.

Universities Involved

• National Eye Institute
• University of Pittsburgh
• Lead: West Virginia University