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Cornell Develops 3D Eye-on-a-Chip Glaucoma Model

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a 3D “eye-on-a-chip” platform that mimics the flow of fluids within the eye. The new device was used to identify the signaling mechanism that triggers steroid-induced glaucoma, a condition in which the use of certain steroid-based anti-inflammatory eye medications may impair fluid drainage and lead to glaucoma, which can cause irreversible vision loss.

The study, led by Ph.D. candidate Renhao Lu ’24 with senior contribution from Esak (Isaac) Lee, an assistant professor in biomedical engineering at Cornell, was published on August 27 in Nature Cardiovascular Research. The research team noted that while glaucoma is traditionally studied using animal models and 2D cell cultures, their advanced 3D model provides a more accurate representation of the eye’s anatomical complexity.

The new approach follows previous work by Lee and his team, who designed another device that identified a protein contributing to the blockage of drainage in human skin lymphatic vessels, leading to lymphedema. The improved ability to isolate and study both biological and biophysical factors in a controlled setting could help address the lack of targeted therapies for steroid-induced glaucoma.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Aug 27, 2025 at 3:30 PM

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