ARVO Foundation Research Catalyst Award

• Application Opens: August 1, 2026
• Application Closes: October 1, 2026
• Eligible Members
  • Member Type
  • Research Specialty
  • Career Stage
    • Early Career
    • Mid Career

Award Description

The ARVO Foundation Research Catalyst Award is intended for investigators beginning their careers or returning to the workforce after an extended leave. The goal of this award is to support an initial research project for an investigator with a superb research idea. Established in 2023, the award is generously funded by the ARVO Foundation. One research award of $70,000 will be awarded each year.

An additional award will be presented annually to support a project in Retina thanks to the International Retinal Research Foundation.

Research projects must be completed within two years.

Eligibility

Specific eligibility criteria include:

• Applicant must be either,
  • (A) an investigator within the first three years of their primary academic appointment, or
  • (B) an investigator who is returning to the workforce after at least a year away from an active research career.
• Applicant must identify a mentor or senior colleague that will be involved in the project to ensure a level of success.
• Applicant must not have an active NIH R-series grant or equivalent.
• Applicants may only submit one application per cycle. Award recipients must wait three years to apply with a new proposal. Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in the next cycle.
• ARVO and ARVO Foundation Officers, Board members and ARVO Foundation Awards Committee members are not eligible to apply for or be nominated for an award nor may they supply letters of support during their terms.

Application Process

Applicants must complete the online application form. The application requires the following information, forms, and documents:

Applicant Information

Complete all required fields. Please include a biosketch when applying.

Mentor Information

Enter information on the mentor you will be consulting with on this project.

Project Information

• Title of Project
• Goal: Statement of expected project outcome(s); include a statement of how results could lead to clinical impacts and/or subsequent research funding.
• Project significance
• Design/methodology
• Research Capacity Assessment: Include a statement that you will have permission from the institution(s) to allot the required time and resources to execute the project.
• Project Timeline: The project period must commence within six months of notification of the award and be completed within two years of the start date.
• Budget: an itemized budget must be included. Awarded funds may not be used for institutional overhead or administrative fees.

Plan for Success

Explain how you will use any existing infrastructure available to you to ensure the project will succeed.

Mentor Relationship

Describe your relationship with the identified mentor or senior colleague. What involvement will that person have in the project and/or your development?

Two Letters of Recommendation

One from within the institution; one external (either may be from the identified mentor/colleague); letters should not exceed one page.

Institutional Criteria

Letter from institution stating that it will accept funds for use as described in criteria, that the institution is tax-exempt, and agrees not to apply or withhold administrative or indirect fees.

Affirmations

Applicant must review the linked documents and affirm compliance with:

• ARVO Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Visual Research
• ARVO Statement on Registering Clinical Trials
• Accredited Institutional Review Board (IRB) or its equivalent (such as a human ethics committee), if applicable

Additional Information

A final research report and final accounting of award funds is due within thirty (30) days of the end of the project.

Review and Selection Process

Applications are reviewed by the ARVO Foundation Awards Committee, comprised of internationally recognized experts. The deliberations of the Foundation Awards Committee are confidential and their decision is final.

Timeline

Applications open Aug. 1
Applications close Oct. 1 (11:59pm U.S. Eastern Time)
Recipients notified in December

2026 Recipient

Rose Tan, MD, MSc, PhD - Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University

Tan is a faculty research associate at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University. An internationally trained clinician scientist, her career spans Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, and the United States, bringing a uniquely global perspective to ophthalmology, imaging science, and translational vision research. Tan integrates multimodal retinal imaging, psychophysical assessment, and systemic biomarkers to understand retinal vascular diseases, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), two of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. At Johns Hopkins, her current research focuses on characterizing chorioretinal microvasculature and neurodegenerative changes in DR by leveraging optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)-derived metrics and functional biomarkers measured with state-of-the-art dark-adapted chromatic perimetry. This combined structural-functional approach addresses a critical knowledge gap between retinal perfusion impairment and photoreceptor dysfunction in DR, offering promising biomarkers for earlier detection and improved disease monitoring. Across her international training and collaborations, Tan’s career reflects resilience, perseverance, and dedication to advancing vision science. Her inspirational goal is to integrate advanced imaging and functional biomarkers while fostering global partnerships to preserve sight and improve quality of life for people at risk of vision loss.

Learn more about Tan's research

Previous Award Winners

Mary Anne Garner, PhD - 2025 Awardee

ARVO Foundation Research Catalyst Award
01.14.2025

Ngozi Chidi-Egboka, OD, MPH, PhD - 2025 Awardee

ARVO Foundation Research Catalyst Award
01.14.2025