Nikhlesh K. Singh, DVM, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Physiology in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), has been awarded $1.9 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help discover the pathological mechanisms that regulate inflammatory responses in patients with retinal neovascularization, with a goal to develop targeted therapies to preserve their retinal health.

Singh's project titled, "Cellular Mechanisms of Pathological Retinal Neovascularization," is being funded for five years.

"The development of new therapeutic approaches against retinal neovascularization is limited because of our lack of knowledge about its pathophysiology," Singh said. "We know that elevated levels of inflammation and inflammatory mediators have been observed in retinas or in the vitreous body of patients with pathological RNV. We also know that inflammation may exacerbate RNV's harmful effects. What is unclear is the functional significance of these inflammatory mechanisms and how we can control them."

Retinal neovascularization is most commonly seen in people suffering from diabetes or macular degeneration, and in premature babies. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy and laser treatments are currently the only treatment options available. However, research shows optimal benefits are not always received by patients who undergo these therapies.