# RReSTORE: RGC Repopulation, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration.

> **NIH NIH R13** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $35,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Optic nerve regeneration holds potential for restoring vision for millions of patients with glaucoma and
other optic neuropathies, currently the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness. RGC replacement
poses a formidable challenge because RGCs represent a heterogeneous class of projection neuron spanning
great distances while encoding precisely compartmentalized features of visual stimuli. Vision restoration in
optic neuropathy necessitates restoring RGC connectivity both within the retina and at multiple retinothalamic
targets. While major advancements have been made in attaining regeneration of portions the RGC pathway in
isolation, translating these discoveries to viable clinical therapies that target the entire RGC pathway
requires collaborative multidisciplinary teams to discuss approaches, share data, and unify protocols.
We propose to jumpstart this process by bringing together a group of ~150 investigators with diverse
backgrounds and scientific expertise to solve the most pressing questions in optic nerve regeneration.
The Retinal ganglion cell Repopulation, Stem cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration
(RReSTORe) Workshop will assemble ~150 leading and emerging vision scientists to 1) define and prioritize
the most critical challenges and questions related to regenerative medicine for optic nerve disease over the
next 5 years and 2) brainstorm innovative tools and experimental approaches to meeting these challenges
while fostering opportunities for collaborative scientific investigation among diverse investigators. Collaborative
development will occur in three phases. Participants will self-select 5 discussion sections, each co-moderated
by a team of senior & junior investigators: 1) RGC development & differentiation; 2) Transplantation methods &
models; 3) RGC survival & host interactions; 4) Inner retinal wiring; and 5) Brain connectivity. In Phase I,
participants will delineate the most important questions and challenges hindering clinical translation of vision
restoration treatments for optic neuropathy, by engaging in a 4-month long virtual discussion that involves
iterative, inclusive, consensus building. In Phase II, participants will meet at the RReSTORe workshop to share
ideas, insights, and data in a collaborative roundtable discussion to identify tools, models, and experiments
that will propel clinical translation of vision restoring optic neuropathy treatments. In Phase III, participants will
establish a sustainable, collaborative investigator network that will advance the RGC replacement field, with an
emphasis on maximizing diversity of participants. A web-based collaborative platform, facilitating discussions
and debriefings, will follow the RReSTORe workshop. A discussion board for conversations and a quarterly
webconference will be established and actively moderated indefinitely. We aim to lay the foundation for a
large, sustainable, interdisciplinary consortium of investigators from di...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10469156
- **Project number:** 1R13EY034018-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas Vincent Johnson
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $35,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10469156

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10469156, RReSTORE: RGC Repopulation, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration. (1R13EY034018-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10469156. Licensed CC0.

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