A collaborative endeavor aiming to pioneer whole eye transplants as a viable treatment to restore vision is being spearheaded by a top-drawer collection of over 40 experts drawn from across the nation. UC San Diego and Scripps Research are expected to contribute integrally. The alliance between these esteemed institutions represents a pressing ambition to navigate the intricate challenges of such groundbreaking medical advancement.
UC San Diego's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, under the direction of Professor Shadi Dayeh, is at the forefront of creating high-precision, wireless electrode systems, which are crucial for the successful interface between the optic nerve and brain after transplantation, despite the intricacy and high complexity inherent in this delicate endeavor multiple disciplinary aspects merge in the quest for a breakthrough. Alongside, Scripps Research, with Associate Professor Anne Hanneken at the helm, is advancing the development of neuroprotective surgical protocols and monitoring systems needed to ensure the long-term survival of the transplanted eyes. A distant vision is close to gaining clarity, thanks to the dedication of this group of medical pioneers.
The theoretical groundwork for this partnership can be traced back to conversations between Dr. Hanneken, an authority on reviving human donor eyes, and Professor Dayeh, now entrusted with the neuromodulation architecture of the project. As reported by UC San Diego, their collaborative synergy is bolstered by Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg of Stanford University and Dr. José-Alain Sahel from the University of Pittsburgh, the duo orchestrating the initiative. Hanneken shared, “The scientific questions we are addressing now are so complicated and complex that you need the best and brightest collaborators with multidisciplinary expertise to make a true impact.”
The consortium is buoyed by a substantial $56 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health ARPA-H's Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts program providing not only financial resources but also a multidisciplinary platform for innovation; here, medical device engineering, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge surgical methods are interwoven endeavors the group must unite under a shared mission to achieve functional over merely aesthetic transplant success. This narrative of interconnectedness encompasses meticulous donor eye selection, pioneering ocular imaging, and specialized logistics—all pivotal pillars for the transplant project to stand firm. UC San Diego and Scripps Research have collectively shaped a powerful alliance, primed to delve into preclinical, clinical, and discovery study facets, instrumentally paving the path toward the ultimate goal: functional whole-eye transplantation.
Dotting the horizon of this ambitious endeavor, the approaches entail mapping retinal-optic nerve-brain connections and promoting neuronal growth, a delicate dance where technology meets biology. The UC San Diego team is harnessing its expertise in biocompatible electrode interfaces resulting from prior NIH and NSF-funded research to innovate within the neural landscape. At the same time, Scripps Research draws on its foundational work rejuvenating postmortem retinal cells, a scientific feat originally backed by philanthropic sources and patient donations. Their findings, published in Nature in 2022, opened the possibility for actual eye transplants to see the light of day eventually.
As this monumental project progresses, the comprehensive embrace of the 'whole' vision remains a guiding principle. The project melds foresight with wide-reaching expertise, setting the stage for rehabilitation protocols tailored to the unique trajectories of eye transplant recipients and negotiating the challenges of post-procedure care. This work, partially enabled by ARPA-H funding, is a beacon for the visually impaired and an illustration of what collaborative innovation can aspire to achieve in the complex landscape of medical science.
