UNMC Grants – Dr. Haider receives first RO1 grant

Neena Haider, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of genetics, cell biology and anatomy, has secured her first National Institutes of Health RO1 grant to support her research into genes to correct human retinal disease.

Dr. Haider’s grant — worth $1.67 million over five years — will help her team in its search for genetic modifiers for photoreceptor development and maintenance. Her team has identified such genes in mice that have allowed them to correct retinal disease in animal models.

Neena Haider, Ph.D.

Her research also earned her the 2009 Hope for Vision Award — which comes with $25,000 to support her work. Hope for Vision grants support scientific research to find treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases — a group of genetic, blinding diseases such as Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), Macular Degeneration and Usher’s Syndrome.

“The nice thing about that award is that they solicit nominations from the top vision scientists and their advisory board is made up of top scientists so it’s a great honor for them to recognize my work and give me the award,” said Dr. Haider, who is a two-time recipient of the Hope for Vision Award.

If you have recently secured a grant or award, let us know by sending an e-mail to today@unmc.edu and we’ll feature it in an upcoming UNMC Grants article.