Patel Joins Select Group of Alcon Young Investigator Awardees

Published March 5, 2012 This content is archived.

Sangita P. Patel, MD, PhD, research assistant professor of ophthalmology, is one of only eight individuals worldwide to receive a 2012 Young Investigator Grant from the Alcon Research Institute (ARI).

ARI Award Supports Corneal Disease Research

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The $50,000 grant will support Patel’s research on the ion-transport and fluid-homeostasis mechanisms that regulate clarity of the human cornea.

“The cornea provides two-thirds of the focusing power for the eye and thus must maintain exquisite clarity,” she explains.

Each year in the United States alone, thousands of cornea transplants are performed to treat corneal swelling that causes loss of clarity.

Patel’s research aims to identify potential drug-therapy targets for this condition.

The ARI awards encourage and promote early career development of clinicians and scientists conducting research in vision science and ophthalmology.