Funded Projects
The Choroideremia Research Foundation has invested over six million dollars in project grants and research initiatives since 2000.
Click on the funded project tiles below to learn more about them. Click on researcher names to open their lab websites.
2026 Grant Recipients
Matthew Benson, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
University of Alberta, Canada
Malia Edwards, PhD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Abigail Fahim, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, PhD
Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Co-funded by CRF Canada and France Choroïdérémie
Vasiliki Kalatzis, Ph.D.
Research Director
Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, INSERM, France
Co-funded by Foundation Fighting Blindness
Elfride De Baere MD, PhD
Professor, Dept. of Biomolecular Medicine
Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital Ghent, Belgium
Bart P. Leroy, MD, PhD
Professor, Ophthalmology & Ophthalmic Genetics
Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
Rob W.J. Collin, PhD
Professor
Dept. of Human Genetics
Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Maureen McCall, PhD
Professor
Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
2025 Grant Recipients
RANDY WHEELOCK RESEARCH AWARD
Alice Y. Zhang, MD
Associate Professor
Dept. of Ophthalmology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
JOHN OSTER LEADERSHIP AWARD
David Gamm, MD, PhD
Professor; Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Director, McPherson Eye Research Institute
University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
Christopher Ahern, PhD
Professor, Dept. of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
Long Term Follow-Up of Choroideremia Patients Receiving Bilateral Retinal Gene Therapy
HOLZER FAMILY RESEARCH AWARD
Robert MacLaren, MB, ChB, DPhil, DSc, FRCOphth, FRCS, FACS, FMedSci
Professor of Ophthalmology
Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Dept. of Clinical Neurosciences
University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
A Classification System for Choroideremia
Ajoy Vincent, MBBS, MS, FRCSC
Associate Professor, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences
Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
CRISPR-Based Gene Editing for Choroideremia
Professor and Head, Global Eye Initiative
Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
Research Scientist Champalimaud Research (Global Eye Initiative)
Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
Deep Learning Discovery of Molecular Glues that Preserve Sight in Choroideremia
Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Cell Biology & Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Schools of Engineering and Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Mechanisms of Defective RPE Cell Autophagy in Choroideremia
Assistant Professor Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Advanced Genomic Analysis of Female Carriers of X-linked Retinal Disease
Sena Gocuk, OD, MPhil, PhD, FAAO Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dept. of Optometry and Vision Sciences
University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
2024 Grant Recipients
Structure-Function Relationships at a Cellular Level in Choroideremia using Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscopy
Funded in partnership with the Penn Orphan Disease Center Million Dollar Bike Ride
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology; Director, Advanced Retinal Imaging Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
CHM International Scientific Symposium CoSponsorship
Sponsorship and Researcher Travel Stipends
Using Suppressor Transfer RNAs to correct CHM Nonsense Mutations
RANDY WHEELOCK RESEARCH AWARD
Shalhevet Izraeli, MSc Student
Student Division of Ophthalmology Hadassah–Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
Optimization of AAV Vectors for Ace-tRNA Readthrough Therapy for Choroideremia
David Gamm, MD, PhD
Professor; Director, McPherson Eye Research Institute Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
Assessment of Metabolic Homeostasis in the CHMnull/wt Mouse, Implications for Novel Therapeutic Interventions
Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, PhD
Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Validation of Functional Vision Testing in a Population of Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa & Choroideremia (ABACUS-1)
Robert James Casson, MB BS (Hons), M.Biostat., DPhil, FRANZCO
Professor of Ophthalmology
Discipline of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Ophthalmic Research Laboratory) University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia (with Kiora Pharmaceuticals, Encinitas, CA)
Further Development of CHM Nonsense Mutation Readthrough Compounds and Maintenance of the CHM Mouse Colony
Mariya Moosajee, MBBS, BsC (Hons), PhD, FRCOphth
Professor of Molecular Ophthalmology UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (Consultant Ophthalmologist, Moorfields Eye Hospital) University College London, London, UK
2023 Grant Recipients
To Study the Potential for Collagen Mimetic Peptides to Reduce Progressive Damage to the Bruch’s-RPEPhotoreceptor Complex in Choroideremia
Funded in partnership with the Penn Orphan Disease Center Million Dollar Bike Ride
Malia Edwards, PhD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Wilmer Eye Institute Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Pathways of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Degeneration in Choroideremia
RANDY WHEELOCK RESEARCH AWARD
Postdoctoral Researcher Champalimaud Research
(Seabra/Antas group) Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
Gene Therapy for Choroideremia: Redefining Cellular Targets and Treatment Windows
Tomas S. Aleman, MD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology; Director, Retinal Structure and Function Laboratory Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
An Investigator-Led Pilot Study for the Use of Ataluren to Treat Nonsense-Mediated Choroideremia
Mariya Moosajee, MBBS, BsC (Hons), PhD, FRCOphth
Professor of Molecular Ophthalmology UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (Consultant Ophthalmologist, Moorfields Eye Hospital) University College London, London, UK
A Novel Murine Pre-Clinical model for Choroideremia Research
Bhanu P. Telugu, DVM, PhD
President & Chief Scientific Officer RenOVAte Biosciences, Inc.
Reisterstown, MD
(also Assoc. Professor, Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri)
In-vitro and In-vivo RNA Editing of CHM Nonsense Nutations – 2-Year Project
Professor Division of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine
Hadassah–Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
Professor Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences
Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
Identifying the Cause of a Discordant Phenotype in Two Brothers with the Identical CHM Mutation, Year 2
FRANSISCO RODRIGUEZ RESEARCH AWARD
Ian MacDonald, MSc, MD, CM
Professor Emeritus, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alberta, Canada
Structural and Functional Changes in Female Carriers of Choroideremia: A Longitudal Study - Year 2 Expansion Study
BENELLI FAMILY RESEARCH AWARD
Sena Gocuk, B.Sci (Hons), D.Optom, M.Phil
(PhD Candidate) PhD Candidate / Research Fellow Dept. of Optometry and Vision Sciences University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Translational Read-Through as Therapeutic Approach fo CHM Patients with Disease-Causing Nonsense Mutations
THROSSELL AND HILLIER FAMILIES RESEARCH AWARD
Kerstin Nagel-Wolfrum, Dr. Phil.
Nat. Group Leader (Molecular Cell Biology / Wolfrum Lab) Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
Decelopment of a Modular CHM Minigene for Testing Rescue of the LET Variant via Anticodon Engineered tRNAs
Funded in partnership with the Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Postdoctoral Fellow Dept. of Pharmacology and Physiology University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Associate Professor Dept. of Pharmacology and Physiology University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Identifying the Cause of a Discordant Phenotype in Two Brothers with the Identical CHM Mutation, Year 2
THROSSELL AND HILLIER FAMILIES RESEARCH AWARD
Funded in partnership with the Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Miguel Seabra, MD, PhD
Head, Global Eye Initiative Phil.,
Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal
Pedro Antas, PhD
Research Scientist, Global Eye Initiative Phil.,
Champalimaud Foundation, Portugal
2022 Grant Recipients
Targeting Metabolic Homeostasis in Dysfunctional CHM Retinal Pigment Epithelia
Funded in partnership with the Penn Orphan Disease Center Million Dollar Bike Ride
Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, PhD
Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences, School of Dental Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
MAIA Scotopic Microperimetry Equipment Purchase
Jasleen Jolly, DPhil, MSc, BSc (Hons), MCOptom
Associate Professor, Vision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
Structural and Functional Changes in Female Carriers of Choroideremia: A Longitudinal Study
Sena Gocuk, B.Sci (Hons), D.Optom, M.Phil
Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
Developing an Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy for Choroideremia
Funded in partnership with the Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Ian MacDonald, MSc, MD, CM,
Professor Emeritus Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Unravelling the Pathophysiology of CHM Using Innovative Approaches
Funded in partnership with the Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Vasiliki Kalatzis, Ph.D.
Research Director, Institude for Neurosciences of Mintpellier, INSERM, France
Assessing the Potential of Engineered tRNA Readthrough Technology to Restore Rab Escord Protien-1 (REP-1) Protien Expression
Funded in partnership with the Penn Orphan Disease Center
David Gamm, MD, PhD
Professor; Director, McPherson Eye Research Institute Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
2021 Grant Recipients
CHM Porcine Animal Model Development – 3-year Project
Funded in partnership with Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Bhanu P. Telugu, DVM, PhD
President & Chief Scientific Officer RenOVAte Biosciences, Inc. Reisterstown, MD (also Assoc. Professor, Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri)
Characterizing the Phenotypical Findings in Female Carriers with Confirmed CHM Mutation Using Multimodel Imaging and Functional Testing
RANDY WHEELOCK RESEARCH AWARD
Funded in partnership with Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Cynthia Qian, MD, FRCSC, DABO
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Montreal, Canada
The Visual Brain in Choroideremia
RICKETTS FAMILY RESEARCH AWARD
Jasleen Jolly, DPhil, MSc, BSc (Hons), MCOptom
Senior Clinical Research Fellow Nuffield Dept. of Clinical Neurosciences University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Pharmacological Induction of Autophagy to Treat CHM
Funded in partnership with the Penn Orphan Disease Center Million Dollar Bike Ride
Ivan Conte, PhD
Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology Dept. of Biology (also Group Leader, TIGEM) University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
Generation of Human iPSC Lines with Patient-Relevant REP-1 Mutation
THE AUBURN THETA CHI, CHI CHAPTER RESEARCH AWARD
David Gamm, MD, PhD
Professor; Director, McPherson Eye Research Institute Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
A Novel Approach to Unravelling the Pathophysiology of CHM Using iSPC-derived RPE from Patients
GLEASON FAMILY RESEARCH AWARD
Funded in partnership with Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Vasiliki Kalatzis, Ph.D.
Research Director (Inserm) Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier Inserm & University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
Neuroprotection for Choroideremia
SALOIS FAMILY RESEARCH AWARD
Mariya Moosajee, MBBS, BsC (Hons), PhD, FRCOphth
Professor of Molecular Ophthalmology UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (Consultant Ophthalmologist, Moorfields Eye Hospital) University College London, London, UK
2020 Grant Recipients
Measauring the En Face Ellopsoid Zone (EZ) Area as a Biomarker of Photoreceptor Structure/Function in Choroideremia
OSTER FAMILY RESEARCH AWARD
Funded in partnership with Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Yi (Fay) Zhai, MD, PhD
Clinical Research Fellow Dept. of Ophthalmology (Ian MacDonald group) University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Identifying the Cause of a Discordant Phenotype in Two Brothers with the Identical CHM Mutation
BOEN FAMILY RESEARCH AWARD
Funded in partnership with Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Stacey Hume, PhD, FCCMG
Associate Professor Dept. of Medical Genetics University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Investigating Choroideremia Pathophysiology Using iPSC-derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium, 2-Year Project
Funded in partnership with the Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Abigail Fahim, MD, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Randy Wheelock Research Award Budget Supplement
David Gamm, MD, PhD
Professor; Director, McPherson Eye Research Institute Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
Identifying the Function of REP-1 Protien in Retina (RPE/Photoreceptors) and Non-Retina Tissues
RANDY WHEELOCK RESEARCH AWARD
Funded in partnership with Choroideremia Research Foundation Canada
Kim Edwards, Graduate Student
McPherson Eye Research Institute (David Gamm Lab) University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
Understanding Mitochondrial Defects in Choroidereremia
David Williams, PhD
Professor in Residence Dept. of Ophthalmology (Stein Eye Institute) and Dept. of Neurobiology University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Autonomously Replicating DNA Nanovectors for Gene and Cell Therapy of Choroideremia
Richard Harbottle, PhD
Group Leader, DNA Vector Research Group Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Adaptive Optics Imaging in Follow-Ups of Choroideremia Patients after Gene Therapy
Funded in partnership with the Penn Orphan Disease Center Million Dollar Bike Ride
Katrina Stingl, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology Center for Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
2002-2019 Grant Recipients
CRF is registered as a US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization EIN: 04-3511754
Our mission is to raise funds in support of scientific research leading to a treatment or cure of choroideremia, a hereditary retinal-degenerative disease that causes blindness; to educate people affected by the disease; and to inform the public.
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