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NEI announces ‘audacious’ goal for research
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SEATTLE — To regenerate neurons and neural connections in the eye and visual system is the “audacious” target that the National Eye Institute aims to accomplish in the next 10 to 15 years, the director of the NEI announced here.
“The Audacious Goals Initiative is part of the trajectory of a remarkable past decade,” Paul A. Sieving, MD, PhD, said at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting, where he presented the NEI’s focus of future research. Vision has been “front and center” of molecular and genetic advancements in biology and their therapeutic applications, he said.
Spearheaded by the National Advisory Eye Council, the Audacious Goals Initiative challenged eye care researchers to submit their proposals and ideas to be reviewed and selected for consideration.
“We have been working very hard on this for the past 15 months, and I am very excited about the initiative,” Sieving said.
Of almost 450 submissions, 10 were selected, and from those 10, the goal was fixed. Recurring themes were “regeneration, restoration, repair and reversing blindness,” Sieving said.
Sieving announced two additional high-priority research areas: molecular therapy for eye diseases and intersection of aging and biological mechanisms of eye diseases.
An “audacious” goal is one that is “big, important and inspiring, and when reached will fundamentally advance vision research and care,” Sieving said.
Disclosure: Sieving has no relevant financial disclosures.