Pioneer Research Awards Open for Applications

ESCRS members 45 and younger interested in clinical research are encouraged to apply for an ESCRS Pioneer Research Award (PRA), which will fund a single project up to €50,000 with a duration no longer than two years.

The Pioneer Research Awards are designed to support and encourage independent clinical research in the field of cataract and refractive surgery. The Pioneer Awards aim to fund various new initiatives, which may include:

• a novel research idea for the development of clinical trial studies;
• a non-interventional or observational study;
• a natural history/epidemiological study;
• a comprehensive series of retrospective case-control studies; or
• a patient or disease registry.

The competition is open to young ophthalmologists who are less than 10 years post-MD, have been ESCRS members for at least one year, and hold a full-time clinical or research position at a clinical or academic centre within the European region.

A PRA application requires clear reference to a current systematic review and meta-analysis, if available, published on the topic of which the applicant wishes to apply. The supervision of an established researcher is required.

Only one application per lead investigator will be accepted. Should more than one application be submitted, all will be rejected unless the lead specifies which to keep in peer review.

The application deadline is Thursday, 24 September. For more information, visit the webpage.