Professional News

Ambati Receives CNIB Chanchlani Global Vision Research Award

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 2, 2014) – The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) recently announced Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, professor and vice chair in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, as the recipient of the 2014 CNIB Chanchlani Global Vision Research Award. The international award is bestowed annually to vision scientists who conduct world-class research to reduce the impact of sight loss in people’s lives and those who have made a major original contribution to the fields of vision science or vision rehabilitation.

Ambati and his group have made groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to research on Age Related Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness worldwide in people over the age of 50. They have identified several of the important factors that control the growth of blood vessels and key mechanisms that control retinal health. Their published studies appear in top-tier journals such as Nature, Cell, Nature Medicine, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

CNIB is one of Canada’s oldest and most respected charities dedicated to independence and self-determination for Canadians with vision loss. Today it is Canada’s primary provider of vision support services and also works to safeguard the vision health of all Canadians.

The CNIB Chanchlani Global Vision Research Award was established in 2011 with the goal of encouraging world researchers in the area of vision science and vision rehabilitation. The two previous recipients of this award are Dr. Hugh R. Taylor of the University of Melbourne and King-Wai Yau, Ph.D., of The Johns Hopkins University.

The CNIB Chanchlani Global Vision Research Award was established by Vasu and Dr. Jayshree Chanchlani in collaboration with the Toronto Netralya Lions Club and the Toronto Doctors Lions Club to support best research in the field of vision science and rehabilitation, worldwide. Valued at $25,000, the award reinforces CNIB's dedication to promote vital, world-class research to explore the causes of blindness and vision loss, potential cures, treatments and prevention.

Media Contact: Ann Blackford at 859-323-6442 or ann.blackford@uky.edu