Generous donation to eye research at KI
The Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg Foundation has decided to donate SEK 50 million to Karolinska Institutet. The grant will be used for a new professorship in vision science with a focus on ocular neurobiology and have the full name "Ulla och Ingemar Dahlbergs professur i synvetenskap med inriktning mot okulär neurobiologi" (Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg's Professorship in Visual Science with specialization in Ocular Neurobiology).
The Board of Directors of the Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg Foundation has decided to donate SEK 50 million over a ten-year period to a professorship in vision science with a focus on ocular neurobiology.
The deed of gift was signed in November and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience has begun the recruitment process for the professorship.
"It's an incredibly important and welcome donation. KI generally has a relatively small number of professors in ophthalmology, so this addition will make a big difference to eye research in Sweden," says Rune Brautaset, professor at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and head of the Division of Eye and Vision.
Glaucoma a chronic disease
Rune Brautaset continues:
"The professorship will primarily focus on neuroprotective eye research with the aim of finding new treatments for degenerative eye diseases such as glaucoma. Glaucoma is a common and chronic eye disease that can lead to blindness. The fact that the foundation chooses to contribute such a large amount is really gratifying."
Peter Thelin, representative of the foundation's board, agrees with Rune Brautaset.
"Glaucoma is a common disease that affects millions of people around the world and cannot be cured, only alleviated in some patients. With an aging population, the number of people with glaucoma is likely to increase and it is important to identify new forms of treatment that can preserve people's vision throughout their lives," says Peter Thelin.
The full name of the professorship will be "Ulla och Ingemar Dahlbergs professur i synvetenskap med inriktning mot okulär neurobiologi" (Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg's Professorship in Visual Science with specialization in Ocular Neurobiology). The appointment is planned to take place in 2024.