NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSSETTS — The Usher Syndrome Society (USH Society), a non-profit organization focused on raising awareness and funds for Usher syndrome (USH) research, has announced the availability of Usher syndrome research grants. Usher syndrome is a genetic condition that progressively affects both the retina and inner ear, leading to combined hearing and vision loss in approximately 400,000 individuals worldwide. The grants, called “Usher Syndrome Society Translational Research Grants,” aim to support translational research focusing on Preclinical Research and/or Mechanism-based Therapeutic Development for Usher syndrome.
With a commitment to funding $500,000 over a two-year period, the USH Society seeks research projects that involve well-documented collaborations across sensory modalities and scientific disciplines. The submissions will be evaluated by the USH Society Scientific Advisory Committee, which consists of distinguished hearing and vision scientists from around the world. The deadline for submitting the initial “Letter of Intent” is September 1, 2023.
Usher syndrome is known to be the most prevalent genetic cause of combined deafness and blindness. The USH Society aims to support promising Usher syndrome research in laboratories with specific funding needs to accelerate the development of treatments and potential cures.
The USH Society has already provided funding for research targeting various subtypes of Usher syndrome at institutions such as Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston Children’s Hospital, University of Oregon, Weill Cornell Medicine, University of Tübingen Institute for Ophthalmic Research, and the University of Iowa Institute of Vision Research.
The USH Society’s primary goal is to raise public awareness and gather research funds through photojournalism, film, and educational events. By doing so, they aim to advance Usher syndrome research and potentially improve the lives of those affected by this condition.
The USH Society Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Dr. Jeffrey R. Holt, a Professor of Otolaryngology and Neurology at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, includes other esteemed members like Dr. Eliot Shearer from Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Teresa Nicolson from Stanford University, Dr. Shannon Boye from the University of Florida, and Dr. Bence Gyorgy from the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology in Basel, Switzerland.
For more information and to apply for the Usher Syndrome Society Translational Research Grants, interested researchers can visit the USH Society’s website at https://www.ushersyndromesociety.org/research/. The USH Society is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the sight and hearing of those living with Usher syndrome.
Source: USH Society
