Published 1/23/2023

Brayden Routh, DVM, an ophthalmology resident and graduate student at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, was recently awarded a $5,000 grant by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Vision for Animals Foundation Grant Committee. The award will fund Routh’s proposed research titled, “Evaluation of a novel ophthalmic formulation for the treatment of corneal fibrosis.” Additionally, the award includes an invitation to submit and present her findings at the next ACVO conference.

Routh’s co-investigators for the project included Elizabeth Giuliano, DVM, MS, DACVO, professor of veterinary ophthalmology at the CVM, Rajiv Mohan, PhD, FARVO, professor of ophthalmology and molecular medicine at the CVM, and Ratnakar Tripathi, PhD, assistant research professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the CVM.

Routh says the funding not only helps the research but has extra meaning because of the benefits it can bring for animals and humans alike. “It’s a huge honor to receive extramural funding from the ACVO Vision for Animals Foundation as a first-year veterinary ophthalmology resident,” says Routh. “I was only one of three ophthalmology residents in the country to receive a grant this year from this funding source. This award is a testimony to the terrific mentorship I am receiving at the University of Missouri thanks to the longstanding successful comparative ophthalmology clinical and research collaborations between Professors Giuliano and Mohan and their terrific laboratory team members. This research is critical to improving vision and thus, the human-animal bond. As a devoted dog owner, it is wonderful to be involved in research that can help restore vision for animals and that has important translational implications for people.”

By Nick Childress