December 2nd 2024.
A monumental undertaking has been launched in the medical field, with the goal of curing blindness through a first-of-its-kind full eye transplantation. The CU Anschutz Medical Campus, along with other institutions, will receive a substantial amount of federal funding - up to $46 million over the next five years - to make this ambitious project a reality.
Dr. Kia Washington, a lead researcher from the University of Colorado, expressed her optimism and belief that this groundbreaking procedure is within reach. This is no easy feat, but with the support and collaboration of experts from different fields, she is confident that they can achieve this together. Dr. Washington made this statement during a press conference on Monday to announce the funding.
The CU team is one of four in the United States to receive funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Their focus will be on using novel stem cell and bioelectronic technologies to achieve the first-ever vision-restoring eye transplant. The team will work together with researchers from other institutions across the country, as they believe that a collaborative effort will yield the best results. Although each team will have their own unique approach, they will also work together and possibly merge in the future to achieve their ultimate goal.
Dr. Calvin Roberts, who oversees the project for ARPA-H, emphasized the importance of taking multiple "shots on goal" to ensure progress. Dr. Daniel Pelaez of the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, another recipient of ARPA-H funding, explained that only four organ systems have not been successfully transplanted - the inner ear, brain, spinal cord, and the eye. All four are part of the central nervous system, which does not have the ability to repair itself when damaged. A successful eye transplant not only has the potential to restore vision but may also lead to further discoveries in repairing damage to the brain and spine, as well as addressing hearing loss.
The New York University team made history in November 2023 by performing a full eye transplant on a human patient. However, the procedure did not restore the patient's vision as it was part of a partial face transplant. The CU team, on the other hand, has already completed the eye transplant procedure on rats, although vision restoration was not achieved.
To advance their research, the CU team will now move on to large animals and focus on optic nerve regenerative strategies and studying immunosuppression. This is crucial in ensuring that the patient's immune system does not reject the donated organ. Their ultimate goal is to reach human trials. Similarly, Dr. Pelaez and his team have completed their eye-removal procedure in cadavers and have studied regeneration in animals that can regenerate parts of their eyes.
The total funding available for the four teams is $125 million, which will be distributed in phases depending on the teams' progress. U.S. Representative Diana DeGette, who represents Denver in Congress, also attended the press conference and pledged to continue fighting for ARPA-H's funding under the new administration.
Dr. Washington humorously referred to this effort as "biblical" in its enormity, comparing it to the story of Jesus curing a blind man. She, along with others, also likened it to a moonshot - a reference to the monumental achievement of putting a man on the moon. She stated that the space shuttle has already launched and is on its trajectory towards reaching their goal of curing blindness. With this groundbreaking project, the future looks bright for those suffering from blindness.
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