Coming up with a treatment or cure for any disease is hard enough, clinically speaking. But when you factor in the bureaucratic and financial obstacles involved, it can be downright daunting. FasterCures, a self-described “action tank,” is trying to accelerate the treatment-development process by bringing together researchers, businesspeople and foundations to share ideas and resources.
What it calls TRAIN, or The Research Acceleration and Innovation Network, serves, in particular, as its “platform for venture philanthropy in medical research.” It’s also the site of a Q&A with Bill Schmidt, FFB’s CEO. In it, Bill shares the Foundation’s history—which shows it to be an early practitioner of venture philanthropy—as well as examples of how we’re currently accelerating retinal-disease research.
Pictured, above: The Foundation’s chief executive officer, Bill Schmidt
Steve is highly respected for his expertise and tireless commitment to finding treatments and cures for vision-robbing retinal diseases. 
As the Foundation's senior science writer, Ben writes science and research articles for the Foundation’s website, newsletters and Eye on the Cure blog. 
As the Foundation's senior writer, Rich writes and edits content for all of the Foundation’s print and online publications, including its blog, Eye on the Cure. 