Monday, February 16, 2026 2/16/2026

Development and Maintenance of the Human Photoreceptor-Bipolar Cell Synapse.

Award Number: K08EY030924
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Development and Maintenance of the Human Photoreceptor-Bipolar Cell Synapse. - Project Summary The first synapse of the visual system—between photoreceptors and bipolar cells—is critical to visual processing but displays abnormal specificity and maintenance in the setting of photoreceptor dysfunction. Functional restoration, for example with gene or cell-based therapies, will depend upon a greater understanding of altered synaptic connectivity in human retinal disease. The human retinal organoid system permits the detailed study of synaptic development and maintenance in retinal tissue in a scalable and experimentally accessible fashion. The proposed experiments will use human retinal organoids to address the hypothesis that rod bipolar cell (RBC) dendrites initially form non-specific contacts with rods and cones, which then become increasingly specific during development, and that synaptic promiscuity in retinal diseases represents a recapitulation of these non-specific interactions in early retinal development. This hypothesis will be tested in three Specific Aims. Aim 1 determines the long-term developmental stages of photoreceptor-bipolar cell synaptogenesis and specifically examines whether rod-RBC synaptic specificity is achieved by pruning inappropriate contacts. Aim 2 investigates the short-term dynamics of RBC synaptogenesis in live organoids using a CRISPR-engineered fluorescent reporter line to ascertain whether exploratory dendrite behavior facilitates synaptic specificity. Aim 3 examines the role of glutamate release in synapse formation, maintenance, and specificity as mediated by Cav1.4, the presynaptic calcium channel implicated in X-linked congenital stationary night blindness. The proposed work will provide opportunities to make significant advances in understanding synaptic wiring in human retinal tissue, thus establishing this system to identify molecular targets that maintain or restore synaptic connectivity. This application constitutes the foundation of my career development award (K08) as an academic pediatric retina specialist with very high motivation and institutional support to develop an independent laboratory research program in pediatric retinal disease. In pursuit of these aims, I will be mentored by renowned scientists at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, as I gain the necessary skills in human retinal organoid techniques, retinal and synaptic neuroscience, and live cell imaging to achieve independence through R01 funding. Ultimately, my work will explore for the first time human retinal synaptic connectivity during development and establish a research program focused on restoring these connections in the human disease state.


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: 2026 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2026	2024	CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES	4650 W SUNSET BLVD	LOS ANGELES	CA	90027	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	5	1/6/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $221,206 )
2024	2024	CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES	4650 W SUNSET BLVD	LOS ANGELES	CA	90027	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	5	5/6/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$221,206
														Subtotal = $221,206

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $221,206 )
2023	2023	CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES	4650 W SUNSET BLVD	LOS ANGELES	CA	90027	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	4	6/9/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$221,206
														Subtotal = $221,206

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $221,206 )
2022	2022	CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES	4650 W SUNSET BLVD	LOS ANGELES	CA	90027	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	3	8/29/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$221,206
														Subtotal = $221,206

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $221,206 )
2021	2021	CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES	4650 SUNSET BLVD	LOS ANGELES	CA	90027	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	2	5/26/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$221,206
														Subtotal = $221,206

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $221,206 )
2020	2020	CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES	4650 SUNSET BLVD	LOS ANGELES	CA	90027	LOS ANGELES	USA	Vision Research	000	1	5/20/2020	NEW	$221,206
														Subtotal = $221,206

Grand Total All Awards = $1,106,030

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Development and Maintenance of the Human Photoreceptor-Bipolar Cell Synapse.

Award Number: K08EY030924

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer