# Role of Tissue Resident Macrophages in Conventional Outflow Function

> **NIH NIH K08** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $170,878

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Candidate: The candidate, Katy Liu, is an MD/PhD glaucoma fellowship-trained, board-eligible
ophthalmologist with a career goal of becoming an independent clinician-scientist. She has a PhD in Cell &
Molecular Physiology, and her long-term objective is to better understand the pathobiology of the conventional
outflow tract in order to improve treatments and outcomes in patients with glaucoma. Dr. Liu is completing a
glaucoma research fellowship and will be promoted to faculty at the Duke Eye Center in July 2020.
Career Development Plan: Dr. Liu proposes to investigate the role of tissue resident macrophages in
conventional outflow homeostasis, which directly impacts the regulation of intraocular pressure (IOP). The
proposed K08 will allow Dr. Liu to expand upon her current scientific knowledge and skills by gaining
experience in ocular immunology, aqueous outflow physiology, genetic mouse models, flow cytometry and
single-cell RNA sequencing. Dr. Liu will obtain formal didactics in ocular immunology, mouse genetics,
biostatistics and responsible conduct of research. She will attend individual meetings with co-mentors to
discuss career development, departmental seminars and faculty development workshops. Dr. Liu will regularly
attend national meetings to discuss and present ongoing research, and submit her work for publication.
Environment: The mentorship team consists of renowned experts in conventional outflow physiology and
ocular immunology who are ideal to advise the candidate on her research. The Duke Eye Center is ideal for Dr.
Liu with specific strengths in its Glaucoma research program and the Center for Ocular Immunology. She will
also benefit from the world-class research and clinical faculty at the Duke Eye Center. Finally, the mentorship
team and institution are fully committed to prepare Dr. Liu for independence as an R01-funded scientist.
Research: Although immune regulators such as TGF-beta, corticosteroids and prostaglandin analogues are
known to alter conventional outflow function, the role of the native immune system in conventional outflow
homeostasis is poorly understood. This proposal is designed to test the hypothesis that tissue resident
macrophages function in IOP regulation by altering extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis in the conventional
outflow tract. In Aim 1, macrophages in the outflow tract will be characterized by lineage tracing and their
functional effect measured by IOP and outflow facility following pharmacologic depletion or genetic deletion of
macrophages. Aim 2 will assess changes to the ECM of the juxtacanalicular trabecular meshwork, the region
of greatest outflow resistance generation in the conventional outflow tract, with macrophage deletion by
measuring biomechanical stiffness and analyzing ECM components. Aim 2 will also reveal the TM
macrophage-specific transcriptome which we will correlate with its functional role in the conventional outflow
tract. This project will prov...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10106229
- **Project number:** 1K08EY032202-01
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Katy C Liu
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $170,878
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-01-01 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10106229

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10106229, Role of Tissue Resident Macrophages in Conventional Outflow Function (1K08EY032202-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10106229. Licensed CC0.

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