Glaucoma UK and the United Kingdom & Eire Glaucoma Society (UKEGS) launched its UKEGS Research Award, offering up to £50,000 for projects into patient care, scientific advancement or understanding of glaucoma.
The charity would consider scientific content, presentation, ethical considerations and value for money, with previous projects providing better guidance for angle closure suspects and promoting trabeculectomy survival after cataract surgery.
Joanne Creighton, chief executive of Glaucoma UK, said: ‘We are honoured to fund this research in partnership with UKEGS for the benefit of UKEGS members. This award supports innovative glaucoma research that will ultimately lead to improved outcomes for patients.’
Professor James Morgan, consultant ophthalmologist at Cardiff University, was awarded the UKEGS grant in 2022, conducting research into the role of microglia in damaging retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).
‘We have found some surprising and important results regarding inhibition of microglial calls and the impact on RGCs. We have already presented this work at the UKEGS conference in November 2023 and an optic nerve conference in Austria in December 2023 and feel it has some significance for care beyond ophthalmology,' he said.
The closing date for applications is August 1 2024.