CLEVELAND -- Ram Nagaraj, associate professor of ophthalmology and pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine, has received Lew R. Wasserman Merit Award from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) in New York. RPB is a foundation that supports eye research in 55 institutions nationwide.

This award is given to individuals who have made significant contributions and have the potential for future contribution in eye research. The award carries a $55,000 unrestricted grant, which can be used to expand Nagaraj's existing research programs or to start new programs.

Nagaraj works in two areas of ophthalmology: cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. His cataract research is to understand mechanisms by which sugars and sugar metabolites interact with lens proteins. The result of this interaction is that the lens, which is normally soft and transparent, becomes hard and yellow instead, impeding vision.

Nagaraj's research may prove to be applicable to the whole body, as sugars and proteins react to produce yellowing and protein abnormalities in several tissues in the body, including skin, bones, arteries and kidneys. His long-term goal is to develop methods to prevent sugar-protein interactions to inhibit cataract and other age-related complications.

Nagaraj is also investigating how glucose affects retinal capillary cells, especially when there is an abundance of glucose, as in diabetic patients. He is studying how enzymes in the capillary cells cope with high levels of glucose. He theorizes that weakening of enzymes is a key event in the development of capillary abnormalities in diabetes. Diabetics are at high risk for retinopathy, which can damage blood vessels in the retina and lead to blindness.

"This award gives us the ability to expand into other exciting and promising areas of eye research," Nagaraj said.