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UT Health Science Center Department of Ophthalmology Awarded

Grant from Research to Prevent Blindness

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            Memphis, Tenn. (August 27, 2007) – Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) has awarded a grant of $110,000 to the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC).  The funds will support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of blinding diseases.  The research will be directed by Barrett G. Haik, MD, chairman of the UTHSC Department of Ophthalmology. 

RPB is the world’s leading non-government organization supporting eye research.  To date, the organization has awarded grants totaling $1,530,000 to the Ophthalmology Department’s research facilities in the Hamilton Eye Institute.

“The department is proud to be a recipient of these funds,” said Dr. Haik. "Beyond the dollars, RPB support is an indication of the strength of our research efforts aimed at developing treatments for retinal diseases, glaucoma and childhood blindness."

Since it was founded in 1960, RPB has channeled hundreds of millions of dollars to medical institutions throughout the United States for research into all blinding eye diseases.  For information on RPB, RPB-funded research, eye disorders and the RPB Grants Program, go to www.rpbusa.org.

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, clinical care and public service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main campus, with its six colleges, is located in Memphis.  UTHSC has additional major College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy campus locations in Knoxville and a College of Medicine campus in Chattanooga.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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