By bringing researchers together, we’re enabling a brighter future for everyone impacted by vision loss.
Across the UK, we have a wealth of potential to tackle problems in vision research and produce some of the world’s leading science in the field. But we’re missing a vital puzzle piece: opportunities for collaboration and coordination.
Our experts often tackle some of the biggest challenges without connecting to their peers because our research centres lack coordination.
That’s why we’re launching the UK Vision Research Network.
What is the UK Vision Research Network (UKVRN)?
UKVRN will bring brilliant minds together, connected by their determination to tackle the biggest challenges in vision research through innovation and collaboration.
The first step in building this network is an exciting doctoral training programme, which will open in April 2025. This programme is unique because students will have co-supervisors from different institutions, and ideally different disciplines. The main supervisor will collaborate with the co-supervisor to produce the application.
"While competition is good, it shouldn’t be at the expense of being able to collaborate in an interdisciplinary manner and harness the greatness that we have in the UK."
Building leaders of the future
Unlike a traditional PhD, this program will allow students to learn from those outside their team. Having supervisors from different institutions and being connected to UKVRN will encourage the importance of cross-institutional and cross-discipline collaboration.
Launching a programme for those at the beginning of their careers can pave the way for collaboration in vision research.
Eleanor Southwood, Director of Impact and External Affairs at Fight for Sight said: "In speaking with leading experts in the field, we were surprised to learn that many believed there were not enough opportunities for them to connect with peers and establish research collaborations.
"We aspire to change this by establishing the UK Vision Research Network, which will foster an environment which favours collaboration, bringing experts together to tackle some of the biggest challenges in vision research. In this first grant call, we will provide PhD students with opportunities to work across institutions and disciplines, equipping them with essential skills for collaborative research."
Why retinal degeneration?
Retinal degeneration is a broad term that includes a range of conditions, from age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness worldwide) to rarer conditions, including inherited retinal diseases.
Some research areas that fall under this umbrella have the potential for great progress in the next five years – and by enabling this collaboration, we will be able to work faster.
“Currently a lot of treatments are at a stage where they don’t have enough of a momentum to push them over the line because funding is very tight.”
What's next?
Our Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) is just the first step in this network; in the future we hope to launch additional grants on other themes. Our intention is that the high quality, collaborative nature of the research by the network will attract onward funding.
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