Rockville, Md.—The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Foundation congratulates Edmund Arthur, OD, PhD, the 2023 recipient of the Genentech Career Development Award for Underrepresented Minority (URM) Emerging Vision Scientists. Arthur will receive a two-year grant totaling $100,000 to support research and personnel costs for establishing an independent vision research program.
The Genentech Award is intended to provide early-career URM investigators with an opportunity to explore novel and innovative research project ideas. An optometrist and a vision scientist, Arthur is currently an assistant professor of optometry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research is investigating a novel retinal vascular biomarker for early diabetic retinopathy (DR) detection and disease monitoring known as the peripheral capillary free zones.
“This award provides critical support for my research career,” says Arthur. “The data from this two-year pilot study will inform several future research projects in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) in my lab.” Arthur noted this includes a biological variable model for screening and early detection of DR and DME in underserved populations. “This will be a three-year cross-sectional study aimed at developing a biological variable model that includes ethnicity, HbA1c, age, and sex in screening for individuals at risk of worse diabetes associated retinal neurodegeneration in underserved populations.”
As part of the award, ARVO will also match Arthur with a mentor outside of his home institution to provide support for his career advancement.
For more information about the Genentech Career Development Award for Underrepresented Minority Emerging Vision Scientists, visit ARVO’s website.
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The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is the largest eye and vision research organization in the world. Members include approximately 10,000 eye and vision researchers from over 75 countries. ARVO advances research worldwide into understanding the visual system and preventing, treating and curing its disorders. Learn more at ARVO.org.
Established in 2001, the ARVO Foundation for Eye Research raises funds through partnerships, grants and sponsorships to support ARVO’s world-class education and career development resources for eye and vision researchers of all stages of career and education. Learn more at ARVOFoundation.org.
Founded more than 40 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit Gene.com.
