The Wayne State University School of Medicine will receive an annual $115,000 unrestricted grant by Research to Prevent Blindness to support eye research conducted by the Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences.

The funding is based on a review of criteria, including the department’s research activities, laboratory environment, and clinical and scientific staff, evaluated by RPB’s renowned Scientific Advisory Panel.

“This is a very competitive grant, and we appreciate the confidence Research to Prevent Blindness continues to have in us," said the department’s Professor and Chair Mark Juzych, M.D. "The continued funding from RPB to the Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, and the Kresge Eye Institute, will enable us to continue our research mission to help those affected by eye disease and support the next generation of eye researchers.”

The Wayne State University School of Medicine holds one of 32 RPB Unrestricted Grants nationwide.

The funds will be deployed at the discretion of Dr. Juzych, director of the Kresge Eye Institute, to provide maximum flexibility in developing and expanding eye research programs, and to provide opportunities for creative planning that go beyond the scope of restricted project grants.

“Research to Prevent Blindness continues to give us leverage to explore pilot projects which form the basis of enhancing our National Institutes of Health R01 funding. We are most appreciative of the support,” said School of Medicine Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Programs Linda Hazlett, Ph.D., the Robert S. Jampel, M.D., Ph.D., Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology and distinguished professor and vice chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences.

Since its founding in 1960, RPB has channeled more than $393 million into eye research. As a result, RPB has been identified with nearly every major breakthrough in vision research in that time. For information on RPB’s grants program, listings of RPB institutional and individual grantees, and findings generated by these awards, visit www.rpbusa.org.