Abdul Hannan, PhD, from Columbia University Awarded $90,000 Knights Templar Eye Foundation Grant for Pediatric Glaucoma Research

Abdul Hannan, PhD, from the Department of Ophthalmology, The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York was awarded a $90,000 grant for Models and mechanisms of pediatric glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a condition where pressure inside the eye becomes too high, which can damage vision. In pediatric patients with early-onset types of glaucoma, the parts of the eye responsible for draining aqueous humor—called the Schlemm’s canal and the trabecular meshwork are mal-formed. This causes aqueous humor build-up and increased eye pressure. Scientists have found that mutations in certain genes are responsible for pediatric glaucoma types, and some of these same genes are also linked to glaucoma in adults. In this proposal, Dr. Hannan aims to understand the workings of a particular gene that causes pediatric glaucoma at a deeper genetic level, which will open up new therapeutic avenues.