NAME: Krysten Farjo, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
SUBJECT: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
PROJECT TITLE: Development of a novel non-retinoid based visual cycle inhibitor as a potential therapeutic for dry age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt's Disease

NAME: Pedram Hamrah, MD
INSTITUTION: Harvard Medical School, Mass. Eye & Ear Infirmary
SUBJECT: Cornea
PROJECT TITLE: In-vivo imaging of leukocyte traffiking in corneal transplantation -- mechanisms and consequences

NAME: Martin/Jun Heur, MD, PhD
INSTITUTION: University of Southern California
SUBJECT: Cornea
PROJECT TITLE: Zebrafish model of human corneal disease

NAME: Simon Kaja, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: University of Missouri, Kansas City
SUBJECT: Dry Eye
PROJECT TITLE: Lacrimal glands disfunction: A first step towards pharmacotherapy of dry-eye disease

NAME: Linda Kusner, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: St. Louis University
SUBJECT: Myasthenia gravis
PROJECT TITLE: Contribution of classical complement cascade to ocular myasthenia gravis

NAME: Brenda Bohnsack, M.D, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: University of Michigan
SUBJECT: Strabismus
PROJECT TITLE: Developing genomic technologies to study extraocular muscle organization and strabismus using a zebrafish model.

NAME: Ethan Buhr, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: University of Washington
SUBJECT: Retina
PROJECT TITLE: Changes in transcriptional oscillations in the retina and brain in response to changing seasons: role of ocular melanopsin in seasonal photoperiodism

NAME: Shoujun Chen, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: University of South Florida
SUBJECT: Cornea
PROJECT TITLE: The novel role of decorin in corneal structural organization: a trangenic mouse model of human congenital stromal corneal dystrophy

NAME: David Hammond, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: University of California Berkeley
SUBJECT: Diabetic Retinopathy
PROJECT TITLE: Long term effect of experimentally-induced myopia on IGF expression in chick retinal pigment epithelium & implications for protection against diabetic retinopathy

NAME: Yanhua Lin, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: John A. Moran Eye Center
SUBJECT: Retina
PROJECT TITLE: The Role of Retinoic Acid Signaling in Neuritogenesis of Retinal Degenerative Disease

NAME: Mallika Palamoor, Ph.D.
INSTITUTION: The University of Tenn. Health Science Center
SUBJECT: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
PROJECT TITLE: Development of a nanoparticle drug delivery system for AMD

NAME: Qing Zhang, MD.
INSTITUTION: Emory University School of Medicine
SUBJECT: Uveal Melanoma
PROJECT TITLE: Small molecular HIF inhibitor KCN1 for the control of uveal melanoma in vitro and in vivo

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) causes very low vision in some babies born prematurely, usually more than 12 weeks early. Musician Stevie Wonder has the condition.

Leber Congenital Amaurosis is inherited and usually diagnosed near birth. Children with LCA may be blind, have low visual acuity, uncontrolled roving eyes or sensitivity to bright light.

Strabismus, also referred to as crossed eyes, is the result of eye muscle weakness or abnormal muscle development. Approximately 2% of American children have strabismus. Half of them are born with the condition. (Prevent Blindness America)

Stargardt’s Disease, affecting over 25,000 Americans, is the most common form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration and usually diagnosed before the age of 20. (Vision Enhancement Journal)

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness and it is estimated to affect 4 million Americans but only half know it. Vision is lost because the optic nerve is damaged by fluid pressure inside the eye, and there is no cure. (Prevent Blindness America) Italian singer Andrea Bocelli has congenital glaucoma.

Diabetic Retinopathy affects many people with diabetes. Vision loss occurs when high blood sugar levels cause bleeding in retinal blood vessels and damage nerve cells.

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, totaling 48%. (World Health Organization)

An incurable eye disease, Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) affects over 10 million Americans and is the leading cause of blindness for those over age 55 in the U.S. (Schepens Eye Research Institute)

Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited, untreatable condition with progressive peripheral vision loss that affects about 1 in 4,000 people in the U.S. (Medline Plus) It afflicted Fight for Sight founder Mildred Weisenfeld and casino hotel owner Steve Wynn.

Cataracts represent 60% of visual care costs for Medicare, and 12% of overall Medicare.

An estimated 21.2 million adult Americans reported they either "have trouble" seeing or are blind. (National Health Interview Survey)