The way to improve eye health is through the intestines?

In the years since the NIH Human Microbiome Project was launched in 2007, scientists have found various evidences that intestinal microbes are related to our immune system, as well as inflammatory immune diseases (such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatism).

Approximately 70% of the body’s immune system resides in the gastrointestinal tract, where it interacts with the gut microbiota

However, researchers have only just begun to understand how the gut microbiota works

Dr.

Chronic non-infectious uveitis is an inflammation of the eye that, if left untreated, can cause vision loss and even blindness

Lin said that limited safe and effective treatments for patients with this type of ocular inflammation drove her research

Gut-eye connection

Research in Lin's laboratory has firmly established the connection between internal organs and eyes in animal models

Lin and his colleagues found that certain interventions, such as giving mice a dose of organic compounds called short-chain fatty acids or a dose of oral antibiotics, can increase the number of tregs in the intestines and change the permeability and permeability of the intestines.

With these promising results from preliminary data, Lin received her first R01 grant in August 2021 from the National Eye Institute, which is the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health).

Lin explained that the goal of her five-year plan is to lay the foundation for new targeted drugs for uveitis

The research of clinical scientists like Lin helps advance the frontiers of medicine

Early professional doctors and scientists faced tremendous pressure because they had to bear clinical responsibilities and it took a long time to establish independent research projects

Under the leadership of former dean and MD Sharon Anderson, the Oregon State University School of Medicine established a doctor-scientist project in 2018 to support promising researchers in establishing their research projects

As far as Lin is concerned, she is very happy to expand her laboratory to further study the mechanisms by which gut microbes protect the eyes from inflammatory diseases

She said: "We have discovered a very novel thing that has the potential to change the lives of uveitis patients