Retina Research Fund

Retina Research Fund is sponsored by University of Washington (philanthropic donations). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Overview of Research 2026 | Retina Research Foundation Reducing Retinal Blindness Worldwide Retina Research Foundation Remembering Our Founder and President Retina Research Foundation Mission Statement Collaborating Organizations – Worldwide Network Annual Report and Newsletters Ching-Kang Jason Chen, PhD Eleftherios Paschalis Ilios, PhD Erika Tatiana Camacho, PhD Grant Guidelines and Information Overview of Research 2026 History of Major Award Recipients RRF Cox Macula Research Project RRF Award of Merit in Retina Research RRF Kayser International Award C L Schepens, MD/AAO Award Pan-American: Paul Kayser/RRF Global Award RRF Alice R.

McPherson Chair at University of Wisconsin Humble Distinguished Directorship Alice R. McPherson RRF Research Chair at Baylor College of Medicine M. D.

Matthews Professorship International Fellowships RRF Helmerich International Fellowships AAO Educational Trust Fund RRF Lawrence Travel Scholarships Important Research in Progress Thank You for Your Donation! Overview of Research 2026 Retina Research Foundation supports an exemplary variety of programs in retina research around the world.

The following is a brief recap of RRF research funded sites to date in 2026, which illustrates the wide reach of RRF activities. We hope this snapshot of current RRF research activities will pique your interest. Details about each of these scientists and programs are contained within the site.

2026 RRF Pilot Study Grants – Investigation of New Research Topics ** received initial funding in 2026 Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX Yingbin Fu, PhD – Petri Research Project Wei Li, PhD – Basic Research Project Yuqing Huo, MD, PhD – Basic Research Project Rinki Ratnapriya, PhD – Basic Research Project ** Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX Lih Kuo, PhD – Gueymard Research Project UT Medical Branch-Galveston, Galveston, TX Wenbo Zhang, PhD – W.

O. Manning Research Project University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX Jeffrey M. Gross, PhD – Basic Research Project University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX Ching-Kang Jason Chen, PhD – Harry E.

Bovay, Jr. Research Project Erika Tatiana Camacho, PhD – Basic Research Project University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Curtis Brandt, PhD – Murfee Macular Degeneration Project Christine M. Sorenson, PhD – Basic Research Project University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada Timothy Corson, PhD – Joe M. and Eula C.

Lawrence Research Project West Virginia Univ. School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV Jianhai Du, PhD – Basic Research Project Northeastern University, Boston, MA James Monaghan, PhD – Basic Research Project University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Seongjin Seo, PhD – Basic Research Project University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA Rui Chen, PhD – Emmett A.

Humble Research Project University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL Andrius Kazlauskas, PhD – Basic Research Project University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY Ann C. Morris, PhD – Basic Research Project Jakub K.

Famulski, PhD – Basic Research Project Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA Kinga Bujowskas, PhD – Basic Research Project Eleftherios Paschalis Ilios, PhD – Basic Research Project Schepens Eye Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA David M.

Wu, MD, PhD – Basic Research Project University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Thanh Hoang, PhD – Basic Research Project Eric Weh, PhD – Basic Research Project University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Georgia Zarkada, PhD – Basic Research Project Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC Oleg Alekseev, MD, PhD – Basic Research Project Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH Patricia R. Taylor, PhD – Basic Research Project Carlos S.

Subauste, MD – Basic Research Project ** Utah State University, Logan, UT Elizabeth Vargis, PhD – Basic Research Project California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA Rebecca Voorhees, PhD – Basic Research Project ** Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH Brian Perkins, PhD – Basic Research Project ** Stanford University, Byers Eye Institute, Palo Alto, CA Ximena Corso Díaz, PhD – Basic Research Project ** Wayne State University, Detroit, MI Michael Landowski, PhD – Basic Research Project ** RRF Macula Research Project Administered by The Macula Society 2026 Brian P.

Hafler, MD, PhD from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT Project title: “Zebrafish-Based Approaches to Human Photoreceptor Regeneration in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

” 2025 Giovanni Staurenghi, MD, Ospedale Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Italy 2024 Leo Kim, MD, PhD, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical Schoool, Boston, MA 2023 Francesco Bandello, MD, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy 2022 Anjay E. Kuriyan, MD, MS, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia. PA 2021 Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, MD, MHS – Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 2020 Kathryn L.

Pepple, MD, PhD -Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA 2019 Stephen Yeh, MD – Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA 2018 Cagri Besirli, MD, PhD – University of Michigan, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI Established Awards – Awards Recognizing Lifetime Achievement RRF Award of Merit – Presented by The Retina Society 2025 Christine A.

Curcio, PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 2024 Anat Loewenstein, MD, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel 2023 SriniVas Sadda, MD, Doheny Eye Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 2022 Edwin M. Stone, MD, PhD, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 2021 Douglas A.

Jabs, MD, MBA – Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 2020 Russell Van Gelder, MD, PhD – University of Washington, Seattle, WA 2019 James Fujimoto, PhD – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 2018 Paul Sternberg, Jr., MD – Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Nashville, TN RRF Kayser International Award – Presented by International Society of Eye Researchers (ISER) 2026 Janet R.

Sparrow, PhD -Columbia University, New York, NY 2024 Hendrik P. N. Scholl, MD, MA, PhD – Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria 2022/2023 Steven J.

Fliesler, PhD – University of New York (SUNY)-University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 2020 Samuel Miao-Sin Wu, PhD – Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 2018 Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD – Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 2016 King-Wai Yau, PhD – Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD RRF Pyron Award – Presented by American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) 2026 Glenn J.

Jaffe, MD, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 2025 Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 2024 Anat Loewenstein, MD, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel 2023 Eugene de Juan, MD, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA 2022 Mary Elizabeth Hartnett, MD, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 2021 Cynthia A.

Toth, MD, Duke Eye Center, Durham, NC 2020 Mark Humayun, MD, PhD – USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA 2019 Joan M. O’Brien, MD – Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 2018 Joan W. Miller, MD – Mass Eye & Ear, Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 2025 Lee M.

Jampol, MD, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 2024 Steven T. Charles, MD, Charles Retina Institute, Germantown, TN 2023 Emily Y. Chew, MD, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD 2022 Philip J.

Rosenfeld, MD, PhD, Bascom Palmer, University of Miami, Miami, FL 2021 Mark Humayun, MD, PhD – USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA 2020 Julia A. Haller, MD – Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 2019 Jean Bennett, MD, PhD & Albert Maguire, MD – Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 2018 Joan W.

Miller, MD – Mass Eye & Ear, Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 2026 Demetrios G. Vavvas, MD, PhD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 2024 Anat Loewenstein, MD, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel 2022/2023 Ramin Tadayoni, MD, PhD, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France 2018 Morten Dornonville de la Cour, MD – Copenhagen University, Denmark 2016 Thomas W.

Gardner, MD – Kellogg Eye Center, Ann Arbor, MI 2022 Stanley Chang, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 2018 Jean-Jacques DeLaey, MD, PhD – Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium 2014 Alice R.

McPherson, MD – Baylor College of Medicine and RRF, Houston, TX Paul Kayser/RRF Global Award – Administered by Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) 2025 Diana Pachon, MD, PhD, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Columbia 2023 Ranjeev Muni, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2019 Mary Elizabeth Hartnett, MD – John A.

Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2017 Jennifer Kang-Mieler, PhD – Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL Research Chairs – Ongoing Proven Research Projects University of Wisconsin and McPherson Eye Research Institute, Madison, WI Helmerich Chair and Associate Director, McPherson ERI – Kevin Eliceiri, PhD RRF Chair – Nader Sheibani, PhD Humble Distinguished Director, McPherson ERI – David Gamm, MD, PhD Murfee Chair – Krishanu Saha, PhD Albert Chair – Bikash Pattnaik, PhD Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX RRF Research Chair – Christina Weng, MD, MBA Research Professorships – Ongoing Proven Research Projects McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Gamewell Professor – Ari Rosenberg, PhD Matthews Professor – Timothy Gomez, PhD Brown Professor – Mrinalini Hoon, PhD International Fellowships – Advanced Subspecialty Training IOFF RRF Helmerich International Fellowships – Administered by International Ophthalmology Fellowship Foundation (IOFF) in partnership with the Ophthalmology Foundation (OF) 2024-25 Patcharaporn Wangvoravit, MD (from Thailand) and Dr. Mohamed Qabalawi (from West Bank Palestine) 2023-2024 Aim-On Saengsirinavin, MD (from Thailand) and Lily Myint, MD (from Myanmar, recognized by the U.S. as Burma) 2022-23 Rolika Bansal, MD (from India) and Daisy Asiama Asare, MD (from Ghana) 2021-2022 Amare Atoma Gelacha, MD (from Ethiopia) and Chibuzo Barbara Ekumakama, MD (from Nigeria) 2020-21 Odugbo Ojo Perpetua, MD (from Nigeria) and Juan Manuel Lopez, MD (from Argentina) 2019-20 Estephania Feria Anzaldo, MD (from Mexico) and Irmak Karaca, MD (from Turkey) 2018-19 Dhariana Acon Ramirez, MD (from Costa Rica) and Federica Solanes, MD (from Chile) 2017-18 Hassan Mansoor, MD (from Pakistan) and Supalert Prakhunhungsit, MD (from Thailand) Gillingham Fellowships – Administered by Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) 2024 Carolina L.

Mercado, MD (Columbia), Nancy Paola Arias Gonzales, MD (Dominican Republic) and Marcella Huertas Bello, MD (Columbia) 2022 Natasha Ferreira Santos da Cruz MD (Brazil) and Miguel N.

Cruz Pimentel MD (Dominican Republic) 2021 Mariana Matioli da Palma (Brazil) and Estephania Feria Anzaldo (Mexico) 2020 Julia de Lima Farah, MD (from Brazil) and Matias Ariel Soifer, MD (from Argentina) 2019 Paulina Liberman Salazar MD (from Chile) and Alvaro Jose Mejía Vergara MD (from Colombia) 2018 Claudio Ignacio Perez Valenzuela, MD (from Chile) and Jaime David Martinez Martinez, MD (from Mexico) Research Initiatives – Educational and Travel Scholarships AAO Educational Trust Fund – Administered by The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (FAAO) Retina-related educational research programs for clinical and basic science RRF Lawrence Travel Scholarships – Administered by The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2026 28 vitreoretinal scientists representing 22 schools and institutes 2025 29 vitreoretinal scientists representing 24 schools and institutes 2024 27 vitreoretinal scientists representing 25 schools and institutes 2023 29 vitreoretinal scientists representing 23 schools and institutes 2022 28 vitreoretinal scientists representing schools in 15 states 2021 126 vitreoretinal scientists received scholarships to participate in ARVO’s virtual meeting, presenting their posters and research in a virtual setting 2020 scholarships not awarded due to a program pause during COVID-19 pandemic 2019 22 vitreoretinal scientists representing schools in 13 states 2018 22 vitreoretinal scientists representing schools in 13 states and the District of Columbia The mission of the Retina Research Foundation is to reduce retinal blindness worldwide by funding programs in research and education.

As a public charity, RRF raises funds from the private sector and the investment of its endowment funds. Retina Research Foundation RETINA RESEARCH FOUNDATION 3555 Timmons Lane, Suite 810