Career Development Award (Alan Laties Program)

The Career Development Award is Foundation Fighting Blindness's five-year salary-support route for junior clinical research scientists who are starting faculty careers in inherited retinal degeneration research. The program is aimed at clinician-scientists building a durable research identity in the space between patient care and laboratory or translational work. Funding is $75,000 per year for up to five years, and applicants must hold an M.D., D.O., O.D., or recognized foreign equivalent. Eligibility is limited to researchers in the first, second, or third year of a faculty appointment. The program runs annually, up to five awards are made per cycle, and applicants submit directly through the online portal with no letter of intent. The best fit is a junior clinician with a clear research path in inherited retinal disease and a credible plan for steady productivity over several years. The reporting burden is real, with scientific and financial updates expected during the award period, so the award suits applicants who can manage a long horizon and keep the work moving through both clinic and lab settings.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.