From backrow, left: Dr Samuel McLenachan; Professor Mark Gillies; Associate Professor Rick Liu (accepting on behalf of Professor Robyn Guymer AM and Dr Jiang-Hui (Sloan) Wang); Graeme Head, Chair, MDFA; Professor Erica Fletcher; Dr Sushma Anand; Associate Professor Anthony Kwan, Chair of MDFA Research Committee; MDFA Ambassador The Hon. Jillian Skinner AM; Professor Joanne Wood; Dr Danuta Sampson; MDFA CEO Dr Kathy Chapman; Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC; MDFA Patron Ita Buttrose AC OBE. Photograph provided by Governor Generals office.
Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC has awarded new research grants on behalf of Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) at a special event hosted at Admiralty House.
As part its 2025 funding round, MDFA is investing more than AU$1 million in eight groundbreaking projects aimed at tackling macular disease. This brings MDFA’s total research investment to $6.9 million across 42 projects since the program inception in 2011.
The awards were presented to Dr Samuel McLenachan, Professor Mark Gillies, Professor Robyn Guymer AM and Dr Jiang-Hui (Sloan) Wang), Professor Erica Fletcher, Dr Sushma Anand, Professor Joanne Wood, and Dr Danuta Sampson.
Their new research projects include studies that aim to predict and prevent the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), new software for collecting and analysing retinal images that could speed up diagnosis and treatment, and new gene therapy and targeted treatments for inherited diseases including Stargardt disease and macular telangiectasia (MacTel).
This year’s investment marks the third round of funding from the Grant Family Fund, a generous bequest that supports blue sky research projects led by early career researchers.
“We warmly congratulate the successful researchers whose work is driving innovation in macular disease,” said Dr Kathy Chapman, CEO, Macular Disease Foundation Australia.
“I also want to extend our sincere thanks to the MDFA Community Review Panel, External Peer Reviewers, and Research Grants Panel. Their expert insights were invaluable during the selection process.”
