Duke Eye Center is proud to announce the recipients of the VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation (VRSF) Research Award. This prestigious award supports early-stage investigators conducting groundbreaking research in macular and retinal diseases, encouraging careers devoted to retinal disease and research.
Each recipient will receive $2,000 for their institution to cover project expenses, with an additional $1,000 available for laboratory or research-related expenses. A travel award of up to $1,000 is also available for presenting research results at national meetings.
Awardees and Their Projects:
- Yuxi Zheng, MD (Mentor: Cynthia Toth, MD, Xi Chen, MD, PhD): Characterization and validation of OCT biomarkers in eyes treated for retinopathy of prematurity with laser or intravitreal bevacizumab.
- Lauren Cao (Mentor: Oleg Alekseev, MD, PhD): Development of gene supplementation therapy for PROM1-related inherited retinal degenerations.
- Daniel Wang (Mentor: Lejla Vajzovic, MD): Improving and interpreting AI-based pediatric retinal disease screening tools using synthetic ultrawide-field fundus images.
- Bani Antonio Aguirre, MD (Mentor: Lejla Vajzovic, MD, Cynthia Toth, MD, Xi Chen, MD, PhD): Enhancing understanding of pediatric retinal detachment through two decades of longitudinal data.
- Sarah Eom (Mentor: Majda Hadziahmetovic, MD): Augmented reality guidance using a digital twin-based virtual simulator for retinal laser therapy.
- Venkatkrish Kasetty, MD (Mentor: Lejla Vajzovic, MD, FASRS, Cynthia Toth, MD): Analysis of surgically-induced retinal thickness changes during macular surgery using real-time intraoperative OCT.
Congratulations to all the awardees for their innovative contributions to retinal research!