Bothe '25 Investigates Treatment for Corneal Nerve Damage

Aug. 16, 2023 

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Those experiencing pain from corneal nerve damage could someday find relief through research completed by neuroscience major Jadyn Bothe '25 as a 2023 Eckley Summer Scholar .

Her project titled “Can Thyroid Hormone be Used to Promote Corneal Nerve Regeneration?” explores the effects of thyroid hormones on corneal innervation, or nerve stimulation, in mice.

“This project is important and exciting because the cornea is the most densely innervated tissue in the body, with critical sensory functions. Many health conditions, trauma and LASIK surgery are common causes of corneal nerve damage, and the

regeneration rate is prolonged, causing chronic dry eye and sensitivity issues for many people,” said Bothe. 

During her research, Bothe received embryonic mouse eyes with varying levels of thyroid hormones. She stained the eyes with immunofluorescence to make the corneal nerves easier to spot under a fluorescent microscope. After viewing and imaging each eye, she used software to trace and measure the distribution of nerves into the cornea. 

Associate Professor of Biology Tyler Schwend is serving as Bothe’s faculty advisor for the project. Schwend’s personal research focuses on nerve development and regeneration and he has assisted past Illinois Wesleyan scholars with corneal studies . Previous work in Schwend’s lab found that T3 and T4 (two different types of thyroid hormones) increased corneal innervation and nerve density in embryonic chick eyes.

“Dr. Schwend and a colleague of his worked to create the dosage of the hormones and his colleague administered the hormones and prepared the tissues for the study. He provided me with the materials and guidance required to examine the innervation. His experience and enthusiasm for the project have been invaluable to me,” said Bothe. 

Ultimately, the project demonstrated that the hormone-treated corneas developed increased innervation. Bothe plans to continue with the project beyond the summer by replicating the experiment and examining the corneas at different developmental periods to support the findings further.

“This opportunity has strengthened my desire to continue researching at IWU and building my skills,” she said. “I believe this project can contribute to an effective and readily available treatment for corneal nerve regeneration and improve the lives of countless people. The cornea is a perfect model for studying neuro-regeneration, and hopefully, this work can be applied broadly to enhance more lives.” 

Established by the late IWU President Emeritus Robert Eckley and his wife Nell , the Eckley award provides a stipend of $4,000 for each scholar to spend the summer conducting academic research or artistic activity under the mentorship of a faculty member. The program is designed to develop and deepen a student’s creative and research competencies.

By Julia Perez