July 09, 2012 College News - The Medical College of Wisconsin received a grant of $110,000 from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) to support research of the causes, treatment, and prevention of blinding diseases. The research will be directed by Dale Heuer, MD, Chairman and Professor of Ophthalmology.
Nearly one million people in the United States have been blinded by disease. The four diseases that most commonly cause blindness are cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. This award will allow researchers to study the mechanisms of eye disease and investigate methods of prevention and treatment.
“Research to Prevent Blindness’s generous support antedates the Eye Institute’s opening and its subsequent grants have facilitated innovative discoveries in vision science,” said Dr. Heuer. “Unrestricted funds from RPB are particularly valuable with respect to Drs. Janice Burke, Joseph Carroll, Alfredo Dubra, Rolf Herrmann, and William O’Brien’s ability to explore novel methods of prevention and treatment, and also provide additional support for projects that have already shown success. We are proud that RPB continues to see promise in the work being done at the Eye Institute, and look forward to continuing our partnership long into the future, as we both continue our crusade against vision-threatening diseases.”
RPB is the world’s leading voluntary organization supporting eye research. To date, RPB has awarded grants totaling more than $4.2 million to the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Since it was founded in 1960, RPB has channeled hundreds of millions of dollars to medical institutions throughout the United States for research into all blinding eye diseases. For information on RPB, RPB-funded research, eye disorders and the RPB Grants Program, go to www.rpbusa.com.