#  Three Faculty Receive RPB Awards 

 





December 19, 2025

 

 

Congratulations to [Ines Lains, MD, PhD](https://eye.hms.harvard.edu/people/in%C3%AAs-la%C3%ADns-md-msc-phd), [Jason Comander, MD, PhD](https://eye.hms.harvard.edu/jasoncomander), and [Tobias Elze, PhD](https://eye.hms.harvard.edu/tobiaselze), for receiving Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) awards, which will support their innovative research programs.

   ![Ines Lains](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/eye/files/ines_lains_macula_photo_0.png?itok=502WHpfx) 

 

Dr. Lains, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, received the RPB Career Development Award, which provides four years of support for outstanding early-career vision scientists. Ines is pioneering work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and metabolomics to better understand age-related macular degeneration (AMD). By integrating OCT-derived AI algorithms with metabolomic profiles, she is opening new pathways to understand AMD pathophysiology and identify novel treatment targets. Her work strengthens international collaborations with leaders at University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital.

   ![elze_tobias_220_x_220.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/eye/files/elze_tobias_220_x_220_0.jpg?itok=beKgIegX) 

 

Dr. Elze, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, received the RPB International Research Collaborators Award for his partnership with Dr. Pearse Keane at University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital. Tobias will explore how different types of ophthalmic imaging can optimally power foundation models like RETFound. This collaboration combines our strengths in retinal disease oculomics and AI-based diagnostics with Moorfields' expertise in foundation model development and includes developing an innovative Federated Learning mechanism that will drive future collaborative projects.

   ![comander_jason_220_x_220.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/eye/files/comander_jason_220_x_220.jpg?itok=7-_3W9rW) 

 

Dr. Comander, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, received the RPB Physician-Scientist Award. Jason’s research bridges innovative bench science with clinical challenges he encounters daily. He is developing cell-based assays to identify disease-causing mutations in patients with inherited retinal diseases—work that will help more patients qualify for clinical trials and receive appropriate treatments. His current research addresses a universal question from IRD patients: how much time do I have before I lose my vision? Understanding progression timelines will transform patient counseling and enable more efficient clinical trial design.



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Awards ](/category/awards)
- [ Faculty ](/news-categories/faculty)
- [ Research ](/news-categories/research)
 
 

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