Our research projects
Since 1987 the Macular Society has invested around £10 million in over 100 research projects. Each year we invite applications for research grants, PhD studentships and seedcorn grants which are assessed by our Research Committee.
Research grants
Research grants are for projects of up to three years duration and up to £250,000, which covers everything from laboratory chemicals to salaries.
PhD studentships
A PhD studentship funds a student to undertake a three year research project. The student submits a thesis for qualification of the degree, which is the highest level of academic degree attainable.
Seedcorn projects
A seedcorn grant is funding of up to £25,000 to generate preliminary data to advance innovative and novel ideas.
Testing therapies to reduce severity of visual hallucinations
Research trial comparing therapies to reduce impact and severity of visual hallucinations caused by Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
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Protecting damaged blood vessels in the back of the eye
This research aims to understand why blood vessels in the macular get damaged and how to stop it, in hope of finding new treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
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Understanding new stress response pathway involved in AMD
This research project aims to investigate a new pathway that reduces stress in the macular cells, to understand why it is reduced in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and how this reduction may damage the macular.
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Creating an ‘atlas’ of the macula
Mapping how cells in the macula work and interact with each other, to understand how this changes with age and macular disease.
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Developing new anti-complement drugs for dry AMD
This study is aiming to find complement system inhibitor targets to stop damage to the macula that is associated with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
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Investigating a possible gene therapy for dry AMD
Research into a gene therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which aims to maintain the health of an important macular cell layer.
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