NIH award to fund research for cerebral small vessel disease detection via retinal imaging
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The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has received $4.7 million from NIH to create imaging techniques that will detect changes in capillary function and help diagnose cerebral small vessel disease.
According to a university press release, Jianhua “Jay” Wang, MD, PhD, professor of ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, will lead a team of scientists, clinical researchers and computer experts in this effort.
“Using the eye as a window to the central nervous system, Dr. Wang has assembled a multidisciplinary team to create an advanced noninvasive ophthalmic imaging device that will read capillary blood flow through the retina and establish new biomarkers for cerebral small vessel disease,” Eduardo Alfonso, MD, the institute’s director and chair, said in the release. “This is transformational research that will benefit thousands of patients.”
According to the release, current imaging technology like MRI can detect blood flow in large vessels but not tiny capillaries. As cerebral small vessel disease contributes to cognitive impairment and dementia, improved imaging could be instrumental in detecting central nervous system disorders earlier.
With the NIH funding, Wang and colleagues are developing a high-speed, widefield adaptive optics near-confocal ophthalmoscope that will read capillary blood flow through the retina and help establish new biomarkers for cerebral small vessel disease.
“This is a complex problem, and we have assembled a diverse team of scientists to solve it,” Wang said in the release. “We have experts in neurology, neuro-ophthalmology, engineering, computer science and many other disciplines. The potential for this device over the next 20 to 30 years is huge. Together, we will develop an instrument that can illuminate capillary health in the brain and provide much-needed insights into these challenging neurological diseases.”
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