Dr. Kaipa Awarded the Knights Templar Foundation Grant

Lipid Nanoparticle-Mediated Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy for Juvenile Glaucoma

Dr. Kaipa is a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Zode's lab at the Center for Translational Vision Research and the Dept. of Ophthalmology. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Molecular cell Biology and Developmental Biology from the Philipps University of Marburg, Germany. Before, joining Dr. Zode’s lab, Dr. Kaipa has made seminal contributions in developing first Covid-19 Vaccine in India.

Our primarily focuses on targeted treatment and the underlying pathophysiology of glaucoma, with a primary focus on the trabecular meshwork (TM), a tissue that regulates intraocular pressure. Mutations in myocilin (MYOC) are responsible for approximately 4% of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) and most cases of juvenile-onset glaucoma (JOAG). JOAG presents distinctive challenges, exhibiting reduced responsiveness to medications and often necessitating surgical therapy. Patients with JOAG commonly face high IOP levels and rapid disease progression, primarily due to the inefficacy of IOP-lowering drugs in addressing the actual TM pathology.

In the proposed study, Dr. Kaipa will develop novel therapy for pediatric glaucoma. Mutations in myocilin (MYOC) are responsible for most cases of juvenile-onset glaucoma (JOAG). Young children with these mutations often present in the clinic with high intraocular pressure (IOP) due to dysfunction of trabecular meshwork. Patients with JOAG are less responsive to current medications and are more prone to vision loss. The proposed project aims to pioneer innovative therapeutic application using antisense oligonucleotide targeting pathological mutant myocilin. These antisense oligonucleotides will be encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles in collaboration with Dr. Philip Felgner. By specifically targeting and reducing the accumulated mutant myocilin, the project seeks to address trabecular meshwork dysfunction, reducing elevated IOP and diminishing the necessity for surgical procedures, particularly in pediatric cases of glaucoma. This research holds great promise for developing an effective treatment for affected children with myocilin mutations.

The Knights Templar Eye Foundation is committed to support research that can help launch the careers of clinical and basic researchers focused on the prevention and cure of potentially blinding diseases in infants and children. They support clinical or basic research on conditions that can or may eventually be treated or prevented. Examples include but are not limited to amblyopia, congenital cataract, congenital glaucoma, retinopathy of prematurity, ocular malformations, congenital nystagmus, and other hereditary eye diseases such as retinal dystrophies or retinoblastoma.

Each year the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc invites eligible investigators to submit applications for Pediatric Ophthalmology:

Career-Starter Research Grants - up to $90,000 per grant. Applicants for these Grants are at the beginning of their academic careers and must have received a M.D., Ph.D. or equivalent degree.

Competitive Renewal Grants - up to $90,000 per grant to extend the original grant project for one additional year if the data from the original Career Starter grant are compelling.

Those receiving Career-Starter Research Grants for 2024 - 2025 are: LISTED HERE

Those receiving Competitive Renewal Grants for 2024 - 2025 are: LISTED HERE

For a complete list of Institutions that have received Grants through 2024 are: LISTED HERE