Research to Prevent Blindness is pleased to announce a new round of grants, the Career Advancement Awards (CAAs), that support early-career researchers as they seek new knowledge related to eye diseases. The Award is aimed at early- to mid-career vision researchers who have already received their first independent federal grant—the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RO1—and are collecting new data to apply for a second RO1.

“We know that the challenge of going from the first RO1 to a second RO1 represents a critical and sometimes difficult transition for early-career vision scientists. It is imperative for researchers to receive support during this time so that they can advance their science as well as their careers,” said Brian Hofland, PhD, President of Research to Prevent Blindness. “We are proud to help fill this gap with the Career Advancement Award, which will ensure a healthy pipeline of vision science to address sight-threatening conditions.”

Three CAAs will be offered in spring 2021, each worth $150,000. Two RPB Career Advancement Awards will support research into any topic in vision science. RPB is also partnering with The Glaucoma Foundation (TGF) to provide the RPB / TGF Career Advancement Award, which will focus on glaucoma research, specifically on degeneration of human retinal ganglion cells with openness to connectomic; genetic; imaging; and epidemiologic approaches, as well as regeneration approaches for glaucoma research.

“The Glaucoma Foundation is pleased to partner with Research to Prevent Blindness in supporting gifted glaucoma researchers early in their career who are pursuing ongoing and significant research projects,” says Elena Sturman, President and CEO of the Glaucoma Foundation. “Supporting talented scientists with the Career Advancement Award can help accelerate reaching our goal of finding a cure for glaucoma.”

The awards are open to any assistant professor (MDs, PhDs, or MD/PhDs) with a primary appointment in a department of ophthalmology or any relevant department from any institution of higher education in the U.S.  Applications are due July 1, with nomination forms due no later than June 15.  For more information, visit the RPB website to view the full award criteria and application guidelines.