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August 18, 2011 - As part of an ongoing effort to foster the next generation of cutting-edge retinal degenerative disease research leaders, the Foundation announces three 2011 Career Development Award grant recipients. The Career Development Award program attracts promising clinical research scientists interested in pursuing vigorous research initiatives to advance sight-saving treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and other rare inherited diseases. Each awardee submitted an application and was chosen to receive a $375,000 research grant, allocated over five years, for their proposed project. They will work under the mentorship of a more senior clinician-scientist who is established in the field. “We’re invested in developing and retaining talented junior clinical investigators who are devoted to directing their medical careers toward retinal degenerative disease research,” said Stephen Rose, Ph.D., chief research officer. “The advancement of vision-saving treatments from the lab to the clinic relies heavily on committed and innovative clinical researchers leading the charge. We’ve seen great success from past Career Development Award recipients who have continued in our field to make breakthroughs.” The 2011 Career Development Award recipients are Christine Kay, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida; Mark Kleinman, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky; and Michel Michaelides, M.D., FRCOphth, Department of Molecular Genetics, University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology/Moorfields Eye Hospital in the United Kingdom. They will pursue the following research projects:
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