2014 Shaffer Grants for Innovative Glaucoma Research announced

San Francisco-Continuing its commitment to explore novel or promising ideas, the Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) announced the top selections for the 2014 Shaffer Grants for Innovative Glaucoma Research at last night’s Glaucoma 360 Annual Gala.

Through generous philanthropic support, GRF provides seed funding for creative projects that hold promise and explore new research territory. All grants are in the amount of $40,000.

The Scientific Advisory Committee for GRF has made recommendations for funding of the following proposals, pending approval by the Board of Directors. The GRF board will meet Tuesday, Feb. 11, to approve the proposals.

Researchers (and their respective projects) include:

• Jeffrey M. Gidday, PhD, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
  Delayed Post-Conditioning for Glaucoma Neuroprotection

• Vikas Gulati, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
  Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Blockers on Aqueous Humor Dynamics

• David Krizaj, PhD, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
  RGC Mechanotransduction as a Target in Glaucoma

• Yutao Liu, MD, PhD, Duke Center for Human Genetics, Duke University, Durham, NC
  Exosomal RNAs and Aqueous Humor Dynamics

• Stuart J. McKinnon, MD, PhD, Duke Eye Center, Duke University, Durham, NC
  Neuroinflammation: The Role of Lymphocytes in Glaucoma

• Robert W. Nickells, PhD, McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  Purinergic Signaling of Neuroinflammatory Glial Responses in a Model of Optic Nerve Damage

• Colm O’Brien, MD, University College Dublin, Ireland
  Caveolins, Calcium Signaling and Fibrosis of Lamina Cribrosa Cells in Glaucoma

• Joshua D. Stein, MD, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
  A Dynamic, Personalized Glaucoma Monitoring Decision Support Tool

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