September 15, 2020
Daisy Shu, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear, is the recipient of a 2019 Fight for Sight Post-Doctoral Award. This grant award provides $22,500 in funding to individuals with a doctorate who are interested in academic careers in basic or clinical research in ophthalmology, vision or related sciences.
With this funding, Dr. Shu will explore the mechanisms underlying age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As a person ages, there is an associated decline in metabolic activity and an increase in inflammation in the retina. Using retinal pigment epithelial cells as a model, she aims to determine whether there is an interplay between metabolism and inflammation.