Reza Dana, MD, MSc, MPH, the Claes H. Dohlman Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and Director of Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, has been awarded a Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Stein Innovation Award in the amount of $300,000 over three years. An internationally recognized expert in the fields of corneal and transplantation immunology, Dr. Dana is one of just 11 researchers nationwide to have received the award, which was established in 2014 to provide flexible funding to scientists pursuing leading edge research on blinding diseases.
With this support from RPB, Dr. Dana will develop and test the efficacy of novel, biocompatible adhesives to prevent and/or mitigate vision loss caused by corneal injuries and immune-mediated corneal damage. This research could revolutionize treatment for many patients with severe corneal injuries and corneal thinning as a result of infection and severe inflammation.
“Dr. Dana is a quintessential clinician-scientist who is recognized worldwide for his seminal contributions to ocular immunology and transplantation biology,” said Joan W. Miller, MD, the David Glendenning Cogan Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and Chief of Ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital. “I am so pleased and grateful for RPB’s support of his important work, which will help to identify and address important questions in ocular surface research using novel, cutting edge approaches.”