# Defining the Relationships of Retinal Microcirculation with Glaucoma, Systemic Disease, and Ocular Anatomic Factors in African Americans

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2021 · $89,677

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This K23 application is submitted by Grace Richter, MD, MPH, an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in the
Glaucoma Division at the USC Roski Eye Institute at Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern
California. The primary objectives of this K23 career development proposal are: 1) to provide an academic
glaucoma specialist with the additional training and mentored research experience necessary to direct clinical
studies independently; and 2) to perform cross-sectional research investigating the relationships of various
retinal microcirculation perfusion parameters with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), systemic vascular
disease, and ocular anatomic factors in African Americans, who have a greater burden of POAG compared to
other populations. Together, this will provide the foundation for me to establish an independent clinical
research program using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to study factors that affect OBF
and to elucidate how OBF affects glaucoma in an R01-sponsored longitudinal clinical study. While I already
have a Masters in Public Health (MPH), this K23 training program will provide additional necessary training for
this research. My training efforts will focus on four areas: (1) vessel quantification methods using OCTA; (2)
methods in population-based and clinical cohort studies; (3) advanced biostatistical methods for epidemiology
and clinical research; and (4) best research practices in diverse populations. In addition to formal coursework,
training will be greatly enhanced by regular meetings with renowned mentors (Dr. Rohit Varma, Dr. Ruikang
Wang, Dr. James Gauderman, and Dr. Roberta McKean-Cowdin), as well as participation in local and
international meetings. This research proposal will utilize OCTA data collected on participants of the African
American Eye Disease Study to define the relationships of 4 different measures of retinal perfusion with: (1)
glaucoma, including both structural and functional measures; (2) systemic vascular diseases including diabetes
and hypertension; and (3) ocular anatomic features including intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness,
and axial myopia in glaucoma and non-glaucoma patients. These systemic and ocular factors are thought to
be risk factors for glaucoma, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Defining the
relationships of these entities with retinal perfusion parameters will give us better insight into the pathogenesis
of glaucoma and will generate improved hypotheses for glaucoma pathophysiology. This research will provide
key data for subsequent longitudinal studies and generate refined hypotheses for possible interventional
studies. Ultimately, it will lead to improved treatments that prevent blindness from glaucoma.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10143245
- **Project number:** 5K23EY027855-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Grace Marie Richter
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $89,677
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-05-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10143245

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10143245, Defining the Relationships of Retinal Microcirculation with Glaucoma, Systemic Disease, and Ocular Anatomic Factors in African Americans (5K23EY027855-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10143245. Licensed CC0.

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