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The Highest Honor of the Foundation Fighting Blindness
The Llura Liggett Gund Award, a Steuben crystal sculpture. A thick, clear crystal disc holds rows of small faceted cubes that catch and refract the light. The disc stands upright in a black, crescent-shaped base against a softly lit gray background.
Recognizing Transformational Impact in Vision Science
The Llura Liggett Gund Award is the highest honor presented by the Foundation Fighting Blindness, recognizing individuals whose careers have driven extraordinary progress toward treatments and cures for blinding diseases.
Awarded to a select group of scientific leaders, the distinction honors sustained contributions that have advanced discovery, accelerated therapeutic development, and helped redefine what is possible for people living with inherited retinal diseases.
As the driving force behind the development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases, the Foundation Fighting Blindness funds the research, clinical trials, and scientific collaboration that make these breakthroughs possible.
A Legacy of Leadership and Discovery
Named in honor of Llura Liggett Gund, a dedicated national trustee of the Foundation, the award reflects her lifelong commitment to advancing research for blinding diseases. Since her passing, that legacy continues through the groundbreaking work of those recognized with this honor.
Each honoree, recognized as a Llura Liggett Gund Award Laureate, represents the highest level of achievement in the field. Their work spans decades and has contributed to foundational breakthroughs, from gene discovery to gene-based therapies and beyond.
A Highly Selective Recognition
The Llura Liggett Gund Award is presented as warranted, underscoring its selectivity and significance.
Laureates are selected by a distinguished selection committee composed of leading experts in vision research, along with representatives of the Gund family. Together, they recognize individuals whose work has not only advanced scientific understanding but has directly contributed to the development of treatments and cures.
Llura Liggett Gund Award Laureates
A distinguished group of scientists and clinicians has been recognized with this honor for their lasting contributions to the field.
Advancing What’s Possible
For decades, inherited retinal diseases were considered untreatable. Today, that reality is changing.
The work of Llura Liggett Gund Award Laureates has helped move the field forward, fueling discoveries that have led to clinical trials, approved therapies, and new possibilities for preserving and restoring vision.
