This year's recipient of Penn State Hershey Eye Center's Frontiers in Eye and Vision Research (FEVR) Award is Jeffrey S. Shenberger, associate professor of pediatrics and cellular and molecular physiology, for his work titled "Activation of the Unfolded Protein Response in the Mouse Model of Retinopathy of Prematurity." Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a form of proliferative retinopathy affecting premature infants. Of the most severely affected babies, nearly 500 will become legally blind each year. Shenberger hopes to better understand the underlying mechanisms for the development of ROP and ultimately contribute to the identification of novel therapeutic targets to reduce blindness from this condition.
FEVR awards are provided by the Penn State Hershey Eye Center to promote collaborative basic science, clinical/translational and educational research throughout Penn State's eye and vision research community.