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Probing visual computations and electrical stimulation in the central macaque retina for high fidelity vision restoration

Award Number: F31EY033636
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/20/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/29/2024

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Probing visual computations and electrical stimulation in the central macaque retina for high fidelity vision restoration - Project Summary/Abstract Blindness resulting from photoreceptor degeneration is a leading cause of disability. A primary treatment option is the use of epiretinal prostheses, which directly activate retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), sending artificial visual signals to the brain. However, vision restoration with current-day epiretinal prostheses is limited, due to the coarse-grained stimulation that fails to replicate natural, light-evoked RGC activation patterns. In natural vision, ~20 functionally-distinct RGC types communicate unique representations of the visual world to the brain through coordinated and precise cell type-specific patterns of activity. Modern implants don’t produce high-acuity vision in part because they fail to elicit naturalistic RGC responses, due to coarse and nonspecific stimulation. The goal of my research is to determine how well vision can be restored in the central retina by analyzing the responses of primate RGCs to visual and electrical stimulation. To accomplish this goal, I will first conduct ex vivo experiments in the central retina of the macaque monkey with visual and electrical stimulation while recording with a high-density multi-electrode array. After identifying the major functionally-distinct cell types, we will then characterize their spatiotemporal light response properties and determine how they differ from cells of the same types in the peripheral retina. I will also compare how well features from natural images are represented by central and peripheral RGCs of the major types. Next, to determine how well central RGCs can be electrically activated, I will determine the electrical receptive fields for each cell as well as quantify the extent to which RGCs of each type can be stimulated selectively. We will then test the degree to which RGCs of major types in the central retina can be activated without activating axon bundles. To achieve better electrical access to RGCs in the central retina, I will test whether removing the inner limiting membrane decreases stimulation thresholds and enhances selective activation. In cases in which selective activation of RGCs is unattainable with single-electrode stimulation, I will test whether tri-electrode stimulation can better focus the electric field on a cell of interest through current steering to enhance selective activation. Finally, to estimate how well high-resolution vision can be restored with a future implant targeting the central retina, we will develop a simulation by aggregating the visual and electrical response properties across many data sets and perform image reconstruction analyses to quantify the structural details of images that can be perceived.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = -$12,213 )
2025	2024	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	000	3	1/23/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$12,213
														Subtotal = -$12,213

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $16,708 )
2024	2024	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	002	3	7/5/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$25,423
2024	2024	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	000	3	1/11/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$40,851
2024	2024	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	001	3	6/7/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,280
														Subtotal = $16,708

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $40,542 )
2023	2023	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	001	2	3/8/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$942
2023	2023	LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY, THE	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	000	2	12/8/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$39,600
														Subtotal = $40,542

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $39,301 )
2022	2022	LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY, THE	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	000	1	1/20/2022	NEW	$38,585
2022	2022	LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY, THE	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	002	1	7/1/2022	NEW	$716
2022	2022	LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY, THE	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Vision Research	001	1	1/20/2022	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $39,301

Grand Total All Awards = $84,338

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Probing visual computations and electrical stimulation in the central macaque retina for high fidelity vision restoration

Award Number: F31EY033636

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/20/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/29/2024

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