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Brint Family Translational Research Award

Foundation Fighting Blindness

The Brint Family Translational Research Program (BFTRP) is the Foundation’s funding initiative aimed at accelerating preclinical translational research for inherited retinal degenerations (IRD) and dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD). The program provides funding and strategic guidance to advance novel therapies from the laboratory toward clinical application (e.g., follow-on funding, FDA investigational new drug [IND] filing, clinical trials, etc.). By leveraging expert mentorship in drug development, regulatory strategy, intellectual property, and commercialization engagement, the BFTRP seeks to address the complexities and diversity of these retinal diseases, increasing the number of viable treatment options for our community.

The Research Priority Areas

(1) Novel Medical Therapies: the primary goal of this research priority area is to advance the development of therapies that enhance or retain retinal function and structure by optimizing drug efficacy, improving targeted delivery, and minimizing toxicity. Therapeutic categories include (1) Small Molecules, (2) Biologics, and (3) Alternative Therapies (research that falls outside of the stated research priority areas).

(2) Genetic Technologies: to advance the manipulation and modification of gene expression to alter the biological properties of living cells and tissues, with the goal of developing therapeutic solutions for inherited retinal diseases IRDs and dAMD. This funding opportunity seeks to advance viral and non-viral gene delivery systems, improve gene and RNA editing techniques, and develop scalable manufacturing processes that align with regulatory requirements for clinical translation.

(3) Restorative Therapies: to advance the development, regeneration, and application of human cells, tissues, and cellular/tissue-based products to restore retinal function and vision. The goal of this funding opportunity is to advance strategies that rescue or replace degenerating or dead retinal cells, optimize visual prostheses, and develop optogenetic approaches that confer light sensitivity to neuronal cells in the absence of functional photoreceptors.

Note: Research and technologies outside the scope of these areas may be considered with adequate preliminary data and justification.

Upcoming Webinar

A Proposer’s Day webinar will be held on May 18, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to review the Brint Family Translational Research program and answer questions from potential applicants.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong relevance to inherited retinal diseases (IRDs)

The most competitive applications directly address:

retinitis pigmentosa,
Stargardt disease,
Usher syndrome,
Leber congenital amaurosis,
choroideremia,
inherited macular degeneration,
retinal degeneration mechanisms,
retinal gene therapy,
retinal regeneration.

FFB explicitly prioritizes research applicable to inherited retinal degenerative diseases and dry AMD.

2. Clear translational and therapeutic impact

One of the strongest predictors of success is:

realistic therapeutic potential,
pathway toward treatment development,
restoration or preservation of vision,
clinically actionable outcomes,
translational feasibility.

FFB strongly emphasizes research leading to “preventions, treatments and cures.”

3. Alignment with FFB research priority areas

Competitive applications usually align with one or more official Foundation priority areas:

Genetic Technologies
Restorative Therapies
Novel Medical Therapies
Clinical: Structure and Function
Genetics
Cell and Molecular Mechanisms of Disease

Clear alignment with these priorities substantially improves competitiveness.

4. Strong mechanistic and scientific rigor

Successful proposals generally demonstrate:

rigorous retinal biology,
strong experimental design,
validated retinal models,
reproducibility,
robust statistical planning,
feasible milestones.

Weak methodological rigor is a common reviewer concern.

5. Strong preliminary or proof-of-concept data

Applications with:

pilot retinal imaging data,
preliminary gene-therapy findings,
proof-of-concept rescue studies,
validated disease models,
early translational evidence

typically receive stronger reviewer confidence.

6. Innovation and advanced therapeutic approaches

Highly competitive projects often involve:

gene editing,
AAV or nonviral gene delivery,
optogenetics,
stem-cell therapies,
retinal implants,
RNA therapeutics,
precision medicine,
AI-assisted retinal analysis.

FFB has historically funded transformative technologies that later advanced to clinical trials.

7. Strong translational collaboration

High-scoring projects frequently involve:

retinal specialists,
geneticists,
neuroscientists,
bioengineers,
ophthalmologists,
translational scientists,
imaging experts,
computational biologists.

Collaborative translational ecosystems strengthen applications considerably.

8. Strong feasibility and implementation planning

Reviewers strongly favor:

realistic therapeutic timelines,
clear clinical development strategy,
scalable technology platforms,
manufacturing or delivery feasibility,
measurable translational milestones.

Projects with unclear therapeutic pathways often score poorly.

9. Strong publication and investigator track record

Important predictors include:

ophthalmology publications,
retinal-disease expertise,
prior translational achievements,
collaborative productivity,
evidence of independent scientific contribution.

Scientific productivity strongly influences reviewer confidence.

10. Potential for future clinical trials or major funding

Reviewers favor projects likely to:

advance toward human trials,
generate NIH/NEI funding,
support industry partnerships,
establish scalable retinal therapeutics,
produce clinically meaningful advances.

FFB funding is frequently used as translational bridge funding.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Frequent reviewer concerns include:

weak retinal-disease relevance,
insufficient translational significance,
inadequate feasibility,
limited preliminary evidence,
unrealistic therapeutic scope,
weak mechanistic rationale,
poor statistical planning,
lack of innovation.

Specialties

Ophthalmology

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be able to independently execute research activities with the full support of their organization. U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens, within or outside of the United States, are welcome to apply, as well as companies. If you are applying as a company, please inform the Sr. Director of the Preclinical Translational Research Program by sending a message to Grants@FightingBlindness.org. Individuals from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and gender groups, as well as individuals with disabilities, are always encouraged to apply.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Foundation Fighting Blindness

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 6925 Oakland Mills Road #701 Columbia, MD 21045

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