Complement and Dry Eye Disease Associated with Primary Sjӧgren’s Syndrome NIH/NEI, PI Jillian Ziemanski (K23 EY02862)
$717,250
02/01/2019 – 01/31/2024
Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) has been reported to have a five-year delay in diagnosis and is associated with many ocular manifestations, including severe dry eye disease, decreased vision, corneal ulceration, and corneal scarring. Treatment with current therapeutics for dry eye results in only modest improvement in a fraction of patients. This project (1) evaluates the complement system at the ocular surface in those with pSS dry eye disease with the objective of ultimately improving the diagnostic delay and poor treatment outcomes and (2) produces an independent ocular surface immunologist uniquely trained to interrogate pSS mechanisms of disease and develop diagnostic devices.
The Effects of Omega-6:Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratios on the Lipidome from Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cells Treated with and without 13-cis Retinoic Acid American Optometric Foundation/Beta Sigma Kappa, PI Jillian Ziemanski
$4,000
01/01/2015 – 12/31/2015
This project identified the effects of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acid ratios on HMGECs that were challenged by 13-cis retinoic acid, a common acne medication known to be toxic to the meibomian glands.
