Research

Every year, donors of Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC) fund research taking place in hospitals and universities across Canada, and around the world. This research is the backbone of our community and our…

Fighting Blindness Canada has contributed over $40 million to support vision research and education at hospitals and universities across Canada. Please see below for funding opportunities and research policies. To keep up…

Scientific Title: Novel treatments for blindness caused by neurotrophic keratopathy: role of stem cells, innervation, and therapeutics Lead Investigator: Dr. Gregory BorschelInstitution: The Hospital for Sick Children, Research InstituteGranted: $300,000 over 2 years Neurotrophic keratitis is…

Scientific Title: A platform to identify new drug targets for retinitis pigmentosa Lead Investigator: Dr. Rod BremnerInstitution: Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health SystemGranted: $300,000 over 2 years People living with retinitis pigmentosa experience gradual vision loss…

Scientific Title: Antisense therapy for the treatment of visual loss in Usher Syndrome Lead Investigator: Dr. Robert KoenekoopInstitution: The Research Institute of the McGill University Health CentreGranted: $226,960 over 5 years, 2019 – 2024 Dr. Robert…

Scientific Title: Development of a new differential visual acuity test for infants with blindness and vision loss Lead Investigator: Dr. Susan LeatInstitution: University of WaterlooGranted: $171,300 over 2 years Detecting vision loss early is important so…

Scientific Title: Movement of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells during Development and in Injury Lead Investigator: Dr. Sarah McFarlaneInstitution: University of CalgaryGranted: $277,248 over 5 years, 2015–2020 Dr. Sarah McFarlane is studying how retinal pigment epithelial (RPE)…

Scientific Title: Intravenous rAAV MiniPromoter-PAX6 gene therapy for the congenital blindness aniridia Lead Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth M SimpsonInstitution: University of British ColumbiaGranted: $296,747 over 2 years Aniridia is an eye disorder where the iris, the coloured…

Scientific Title: Function of Usher Syndrome protein PCDH15 in photoreceptor maintenance Lead Investigator: Dr. Vincent TropepeInstitution: University of TorontoGranted: $177,500 over 2 years Usher syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes hearing and vision loss beginning…

Scientific Title: Deciphering the first gene for pigmentary glaucoma Lead Investigator: Dr. Michael WalterInstitution: University of AlbertaGranted: $216,000 over 2 years Pigmentary glaucoma is a form of glaucoma that occurs when pigment particles from the coloured…