On September 12 2018, Dr. Philippe Monnier was named the inaugural recipient of the Restore Vision 20/20 Award by the Foundation Fighting Blindness. He is a Senior Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute and an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto.
The Restore Vision 20/20 Award aims to support the best science that has a clear path to becoming an innovative, sight-restoring treatment for retinitis pigmentosa within the next five years. Retinitis pigmentosa refers to a family of genetic disorders that damage light-sensitive cells in the retina, leading to gradual vision loss over time. It is one of the most common inherited diseases of the retina, affecting around 1 in 4000 Canadians. To date, there are no treatments available in Canada for the disease.
The Award was given to Dr. Monnier to support his research developing a new experimental drug that promotes the survival of light-sensing cells in the retina. The drug could potentially restore vision not only in retinitis pigmentosa, but in other retinal eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.
The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a Canadian charitable organization that leads the fight against blindness by advancing retinal disease research, education and public awareness. Since 1974, the Foundation has invested $30 million to support vision research across Canada.