NEI Regenerative Medicine Clinical Trial Planning Grant (R34 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

The National Eye Institute (NEI) has released a Regenerative Medicine Clinical Trial Planning Grant (R34 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed). This is part of the Audacious Goal Initiative (AGI), a bold venture intended to advance vision science and regenerate retinal cells, thus restoring vision. The AGI's research is primarily focused on photoreceptors, which are cells in the retina often referred to as rods and cones. These cells are responsible for generating signals that the brain interprets as images when they are stimulated by light. There is also a focus on retinal ganglion cells which transport these signals from the photoreceptors to the brain. While there have been some successful attempts at regenerating retinal neurons and connections in various systems including fish and mice, the AGI's ultimate goal is to restore vision in humans.