Eligibility and Project Requirements

Eligibility

Principal investigators from accredited academic medical centers, research institutions or universities in the U.S. are eligible for funding.

To ensure the successful completion of each project, the principal investigator needs to confirm that the duration of home their institution employment contract covers at least the duration of the proposed project and that currently no alternative funding for the work applied for exists.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

  • The investigator’s home institution must ensure the necessary facilities and infrastructure are in place to execute the planned research project
  • The home institution must accept the award conditions, including the approved use of funds and provide governance over fund expenditure
  • All proposed research must comply with Institutional Review Board standards andInstitutional Animal Care and Use Committee protocols as specified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Human Research Protections, HHS OHRP
  • The home institution is responsible for ensuring the rights and welfare of individuals who participate as subjects in research activities as well as animal welfare being preserved
  • Home institutions must adhere to current guidelines regarding financial conflict of interest, recombinant DNA and research misconduct

The OLFMD seeks to increase the diversity of its funding programs. Women, individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, as well as individuals with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

Project Requirements

The program offers funding for the development of novel therapeutics (small molecule, biologic or cell/gene therapy), medical devices and diagnostics for unmet medical needs, as well as repurposing of existing drugs for new indications addressing the prevention or treatment of macular degeneration.


All projects must aim at the validation of research findings with the goal of translating these into therapies or products. Projects must address a significant unmet medical need in treatment or prevention of macular degeneration and may include novel diagnostic innovations when coupled with treatment.

All projects must aim at the validation of research findings with the goal of translating these into therapies, products, or services. Basic research will not be funded. Projects must address a significant unmet medical need in treatment or prevention of macular degeneration.

Project Guidelines

  • The described solution must be innovative and novel.
  • Projects must be based on solid data, which demonstrate proof-of-principle (depending on the projects this can be in vitro, in vivo, proof-of-technology etc.) and justify the described next steps.
  • Described solutions must exhibit a strong competitive advantage over the current standard of clinical care.
  • Projects must be developed within an approved setting (see eligibility requirements).