A researcher at Upstate Medical University has received a $2.3 million federal grant to investigate how the retina’s light-sensing structures are formed and maintained, advancing efforts to address inherited retinal diseases that currently have no effective treatments. The five-year project focuses on understanding the molecular processes that enable photoreceptor cells to continuously renew the structures responsible for capturing light. This NIH-funded research could lay the foundation for new treatments for currently incurable forms of blindness by identifying the biological mechanisms that maintain photoreceptor cell function. The award also strengthens Upstate Medical University’s role in vision research and supports long-term efforts to prevent vision loss and improve the quality of life for individuals affected by inherited retinal diseases.