ENHANCE-MCOR funded by the GENeHOPE Fund

The ENHANCE-MCOR project, led by Prof. Elfride De Baere (Ghent University) and Dr. Jean-Michel Rozet (Institut Imagine), was funded by the GENeHOPE Fund. This research tackles microcoria (MCOR), a rare genetic disorder marked by abnormally small pupils, light sensitivity, and often progression to severe glaucoma. The cause? Disruptions in the “dark matter” of our DNA, the non-coding regions that regulate gene activity. Since current mouse models cannot reproduce MCOR, researchers are turning to an unexpected ally: the frog Xenopus tropicalis. Its eye develops much like ours, making it a powerful model to uncover how these DNA disruptions trigger MCOR and glaucoma. By doing so, the project could not only shed light on this rare blinding disease, but also pave the way for new treatments benefiting children and adults with glaucoma worldwide.