Ted and Elaine Welp Enhanced Career Development Program Award (Enhanced CDA)

Objective/Goal: The objective of this program is to support the recruitment and retention of a strong pool of physician scientists with a commitment to clinical research on these diseases. Support and protected time will be provided to individuals with M.D. and M.D. /Ph.D. degrees for career development in clinical research leading to research independence in the field of retinal degenerative diseases. This program supports up to two mid-senior level faculty for three (3) years. $170,000/year.

Spring Review Cycle
Application Deadline: March 30, 2019
Notification Date: July 1, 2019
Earliest Start Date: August 1, 2019

Fall Review Cycle
Application Deadline: October 31, 2019 
Notification Date: January 2020 
Earliest Start Date: February 2020

Winter Review Cycle
Application Deadline: January 31, 2019
Notification Date: April 2020
Earliest Start Date: June 2020

Applying:

Past Awards:

Grantee

Jason Comander, MD PhD

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

 “Improving Diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa by Efficient Characterization of Potentially Pathogenic DNA Variants”
$170,000

Dr. Comander is conducting studies to identify mutations in the gene rhodopsin that cause retinitis pigmentosa. His primary goal is to gain a better understanding of which variants in rhodopsin lead to vision loss. His work will also help him and other researchers create disease models for investigating causes and potential therapies for vision loss from rhodopsin mutations.