The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) released the names of the 2023 recipients of the RBP/AAO Award for Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS) Registry Research.
Refresh me on RPB.
Founded in 1960, RPB is a leading nonprofit organization that supports eye research for the prevention, treatment, and eradication of diseases that could damage and/or destroy sight.
To date, the nonprofit has awarded over $407 million in research grants to vision scientists at top medical schools across the United States.
Now this award.
The grant partnership between AAO and RPB began in 2018 with the goal of improving patients’ lives through research and vision.
Recipients are granted access to the AAO’s IRIS Registry to conduct population-based studies in ophthalmology and blindness prevention, as well as specialized training in analytic capabilities to determine how best to use the database findings.
So … who are the 2023 recipients?
This year’s four recipients are:
- Eric Crowell, MD
- Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
- Mary Ellen Hoehn, MD
- Professor of Ophthalmology, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center
- Ang Li, MD
- Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute
- Matthew Starr, MD
- Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic
Click here to learn about the doctors’ respective research.
Exactly how does this grant work?
A total of four studies are selected each year, with each granted $35,000 (funded by RPB); the selected investigators receive $10,000 each in direct research funds for their respective institutions.
Further, recipients will receive training on the IRIS Registry data, where staff will provide a subset of data for each recipient’s analysis.
What are the eligibility requirements?
Recipients must be:
- Employed by a research institution with relevant analytics experience.
- Include a research question that is clinically significant and aligns with the AAO’s mission to protect sight and empower lives.
How can I apply for next year’s award?
Click here to submit a grant application.
The submission deadline for the 2024 award is before January 31, 2024.