The Champalimaud Foundation Invites Nominations and Applications for Its 2009 Vi...( Prestigious Award Given Annually ...),Health

Prestigious Award Given Annually to Combat Blindness

LISBON, Portugal and NEW YORK, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Champalimaud Foundation, one of the largest global science foundations, invites all institutions working to combat blindness in the field to apply for the Antonio Champalimaud Vision Award. The Award is given for outstanding contributions towards the prevention and alleviation of blindness and visual impairment. The prestigious Award, which brings with it a euro 1 million prize, has been called the "Nobel Prize for Vision" and is presented annually in Lisbon, Portugal.

The 2008 recipients of the Award, Drs. King-Wai Yau and Jeremy Nathans, both scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, received the Award for ground breaking research towards the eradication of blindness. Their fundamental discoveries related to the first step in seeing, the conversion of light into electrical signals that the brain uses to create vision. The 2007 Antonio Champalimaud Vision Award recognized the global contribution made by Aravind Eye Care System. Aravind has made quality affordable eye care a reality for millions, using an adaptive model focused on consultancy, capacity building, research, training, and publications.

"With The Antonio Champalimaud Vision Award, we encourage both the world's greatest institutions and scientists to move one step closer towards eradicating blindness. Because of the Award, millions of people world-wide, who suffer from blindness, can hope for a cure, and, for millions of others, blindness from disease can be prevented. We look forward to reviewing the nominations and to the presentation of the Award in 2009," said Leonor Beleza, President of The Champalimaud Foundation.

The Antonio Champalimaud Vision Award was established by the Foundation in 2006, and the Award has the support of the World Health Organization's Vision 2020 -- The Right to Sight initiative. The Award is given alternately betwee
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