The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc.
Chief Executive Officer: William T. Schmidt
Address
The Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc.
7168 Columbia Gateway Drive
Suite 100
Columbia, MD 21046
USA
Telephone: +1 (410) 423 0600
800#: +1 (800) 683 5555
Fax: +1 (410) 872-0438
Email: info@fightblindness.org
Website: www.fightblindness.org
Member, Board of Directors: Alan R. Kahn
Address
49 Overhill Road
Forest Hills Gardens
New York, NY 11375
USA
Telephone: +1 (718) 268 2791
Fax: +1 (718) 268 2817
E-mail: alankahn@usa.net
Website: www.fightblindness.org
Science Writer: Ben A. Shaberman
Description
Since its founding in 1971, The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) has been dedicated to funding innovative research to find preventions, treatments, and cures for inherited retinal degenerative diseases that lead to blindness and affect more than nine million people in the United States.
FFB’s mission includes public health education. The Foundation provides information on retinal degenerative diseases to all who request it to increase knowledge and awareness of these conditions.
The Foundation is led by a governing board of up to 25 directors, who are elected by a board of national trustees numbering nearly 100.
The Foundation has over 50 volunteer-led groups across the US. These dedicated volunteers raise funds, increase public awareness, and provide support to their communities. FFB depends on its trustees and a nationwide volunteer fundraising network to raise funds for its research initiatives. The organization's professional staff provides management and administrative support, both from its national office outside of Baltimore, Maryland, and through several field offices.
Research
FFB has funded thousands of research studies at hundreds of prominent institutions worldwide. In order to achieve its mission, the Foundation funds pioneering research in a comprehensive program that includes: cell biology, drug delivery, clinical and pre-clinical studies, genetics, gene therapy, retinal cell transplantation, retinal implants, and pharmaceutical and nutritional therapies. The Foundation funds leading-edge research in promising scientific areas such as genetics, gene therapy, retinal cell transplantation, artificial retinal implants, and pharmaceutical and nutritional therapies.
In addition, FFB has established the National Neurovision Research Institute (NNRI) as a non-profit support subsidiary. NNRI’s mission is to expedite the translation of fundamental research into clinical trials for inherited retinal degenerative diseases, and ultimately, to accelerate the availability of patient therapies. NNRI also fosters collaborations among the scientific, clinical, governmental, pharmaceutical, and financial communities.