The Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Career Development Award supports early-career faculty in ophthalmology departments to advance vision-related research. RPB is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring vision through research. This award is specifically intended to help ophthalmology Chairs at RPB-supported institutions provide critical support to junior faculty with strong potential for independent research careers.
The award totals $350,000, disbursed over four years. The first two years provide $75,000 annually, while the third and fourth years offer $100,000 each, contingent upon a favorable review of a 20-month substantive progress report. All funds must be used within four years and cannot be transferred to another institution or individual. Importantly, indirect costs and institutional overhead are not allowed. IRB approval is required prior to fund disbursement if applicable.
Eligible candidates must hold a primary academic position in ophthalmology, be up to the rank of Assistant Professor, and be within three years of their first full-time faculty appointment. They must also be full-time faculty at the nominating department by the application deadline. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required, and MD/MD-PhDs must allocate at least 50% of their time to research. Departments can nominate only one candidate per cycle, and interim Chairs cannot nominate.
Applicants must submit a signed application form along with detailed supporting documentation in a single upload. This includes a NIH-style biosketch, a Chair’s statement with mentoring and start-up package details, a research plan, budget and timeline, list of collaborators and their letters of support, IRB documentation if applicable, and institutional IRS determination letter. Additionally, three signed letters of recommendation must be emailed directly by the referees.
For the July 1, 2025 deadline, nomination forms must be submitted by June 15, 2025. Applications must be submitted online via a password-protected upload form on the RPB website, using the password "Research." Only one upload per candidate is allowed, and all documentation must be complete at submission to be considered.
For more information, applicants can contact Pattie Moran at [email protected] or call 646-892-9566.
Submit nomination form in advance; application must include all required components and adhere to format rules; missing or late items will lead to automatic rejection.
