University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences receives $2.2 million grant to study efferocytosis in retinopathy

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The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received a 5-year federal grant for nearly $2.2 million to study how modulating the body’s immune response may potentially benefit patients with certain eye diseases.

The grant, awarded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) was given to a laboratory led by Abdel Fouda, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine. Fouda’s lab focuses on developing new therapies for ischemic and trauma-induced retinopathy.

Fouda’s team consists of Esraa Shosha, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; Rami Shahror, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow; and graduate students Carol Morris, Bushra Zaman, and Christian Mitchell.

According to a release from UAMS, the grant will allow Fouda’s lab to study myeloid cells in retinopathy, a certain type of immune cell. In a process called efferocytosis, myeloid cells engulf, or eat, and remove dead cells as part of the body’s natural immune response.¹ Efferocytosis’ role in retinopathy is largely unknown despite knowledge of the process in other diseases.

Fouda’s research shows that efferocytosis could potentially play a beneficial role in treating retinopathy. The project, funded by the grant, will explore methods of treatment to enhance myeloid cell-mediated efferocytosis.¹

Fouda spoke on the grant in a release from UAMS saying, “I am very excited that we secured this grant. This is the second R-type grant for the lab in just 3 years. I extend my heartfelt thanks to my team for their hard work and dedication to bring this fund to UAMS.”

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), of which the NEI is a part, grants R01 type grants to support specific research projects over the course of 3 to 5 years and is the most commonly used grant program.

References:

1. UAMS Receives Nearly $2.2 Million Federal Grant to Study Immune Response to Eye Disease. Press Release; September 18, 2024. Accessed September 19, 2024. https://news.uams.edu/2024/09/18/uams-receives-nearly-2-2-million-federal-grant-to-study-immune-response-to-eye-disease/