Ophthalmology Department Receives Sustained Funding From Research Organization
Grant provides funding to investigate optical diseases affecting all ages
The University of Missouri School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology recently received a $110,000 grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, an international voluntary health organization that supports research to prevent, treat and eradicate blinding eye disease.
John Cowden, MD, chair of ophthalmology and Roy E. Mason Distinguished Professor of Opthalmology, said the funding will be spread across multiple research projects. In addition, the show of support will help attract additional research funding and new researchers.
“Having unrestricted funds allows us to do research in areas not specifically designated, to develop pilot projects and to offer researchers funding between formal grants,” Cowden said. “It’s a very important asset for our department.”
Specifically, the grant will help fund the work of four ophthalmology researchers. Martin Katz, PhD, professor of ophthalmology and director of the Campus Electron Microscopy Core Facility, will use funds to study Batten disease, a fatal nervous system disorder that begins in childhood. Rajiv Mohan, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology, will study the effect of gene therapy administered through nanoparticles on corneal healing. Lixing Reneker, PhD, will study how alcohol is related to Peter’s anomaly, which affects newborns with corneal problems and cataracts. Krishna Sharma, PhD, will study cataract formation and mechanisms for preventing this common symptom of aging.
Over the past 15 years, the university has been awarded nearly $2 million in grant funding from Research to Prevent Blindness. The organization, founded in 1960, has channeled millions of dollars to U.S. medical institutions for research on blinding eye diseases.
