Funding supports study using optical coherence tomography angiography to predict risk for preeclampsia
Wilson Wang, MD and Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, of the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, have received a $139,150 grant from the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. This grant is in support of their project titled “Noninvasive Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography as a Predictive Tool for Development of Preeclampsia: A Prospective Cohort Study.”
This prospective study aims to evaluate whether optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)—a noninvasive imaging technology typically used in eye care—can serve as a biomarker for predicting preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of organ damage. If successful, this work could help identify at-risk patients earlier and improve maternal and fetal health outcomes.
By bringing together the Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, this study showcases how cutting-edge retinal imaging can be used to safely and non-invasively detect early signs of preeclampsia with severe features, helping identify at-risk mothers sooner and improve outcomes.
“We’re deeply grateful for this support from The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. By harnessing noninvasive retinal imaging, our goal is to improve early risk stratification in high-risk pregnancies and enable earlier anticipation of preeclampsia with severe features.”
– Wilson Wang, MD
The grant is approved by the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital Board of Directors. They expressed enthusiasm for the project’s innovative approach and potential impact on women’s health.
About the Apte Lab
The Apte Lab at WashU Medicine is renowned for its cutting-edge research in ocular biology and disease mechanisms. Students in the lab are encouraged to pursue rigorous scientific inquiry, contributing to advances in patient care and vision science.
For more information about the Apte Lab and recent research achievements, visit:
WashU Medicine – Apte Lab
About WashU Medicine
WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,900 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 56% in the last seven years. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,900 faculty physicians practicing at 130 locations and who are also the medical staffs of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals of BJC HealthCare. WashU Medicine has a storied history in MD/PhD training, recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.