Owings Mills, MD - October 2007 - The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB, www.FightBlindness.org) today announced the launch of a women's career development program to support women who are pursuing careers in clinical research to cure retinal degenerative diseases. A $1 million, six-year gift to FFB from the Marjorie C. Adams Charitable Trust, for which JPMorgan Chase Bank is trustee, is funding the grants. The first two recipients, who received a total of $144,000, are Jacque Duncan, M.D., Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco; and Caren Bellman, M.D., Clinical Ophthalmologist and Medical Investigator of the Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie in Paris, France. Dr. Duncan will be working on the development of the Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) for evaluating the retinas of people affected by retinal degenerations. The AOLSO is a highly useful tool for studying disease progression and efficacy of treatments. Dr. Bellman will be studying retinal degenerative disease progression and predictive signs, as well as disease mechanisms for the identification of treatment targets. "Although the number of women in science has increased over the years, women have yet to attain parity with their male colleagues in terms of the numbers engaged in research or attaining positions of scientific leadership," said FFB Chief Executive Officer William Schmidt. "The goal of The Marjorie Carr Adams Women's Career Development Award is to support the career development of women who have made a commitment to focus their clinical research endeavors on retinal degenerative diseases." Three women will be selected annually by FFB for five-year grant awards to support their careers in retinal disease clinical research. The grant recipients will work with a designated mentor, attend or present at a national or international scientific conference, and observe and participate in an FFB-sponsored peer reviewed scientific session. FFB will solicit proposals from researchers in the following areas of priority: genetics, gene therapy, cell-based therapies, nutritional/environmental therapies and neuroprotective therapy. "Marjorie Carr Adams lived to be 99 years old and suffered from macular degeneration. She created the trust out of her desire to make gifts that would have a meaningful impact on blindness. This grant will help to eradicate the illness that affected her and so many others," said Jacqueline E. Elias, Vice President, Philanthropic Services, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Trustee. About the Foundation Fighting Blindness |
