Christine Curcio, Ph.D.Christine Curcio, Ph.D., professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, has received the 2019 RPB David F. Weeks Award for Outstanding AMD Research.
The Weeks Award, funded through Research to Prevent Blindness, an anonymous donor and the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology, annually recognizes and celebrates an excellent researcher focused on age-related macular degeneration. The award carries the name of David F. Weeks, former president and chairman of RPB, in honor of his contributions to the field of vision research. Curcio will receive her award and deliver a presentation Jan. 31, 2020, at the AUPO Annual Meeting in Rancho Mirage, California.
“What sets Dr. Curcio apart from many basic science researchers is her focus on disease pathology and pathobiology, along with human imaging, that has made her work imminently translatable to clinical care,” said Christopher A. Girkin, M.D., chair of the department.
Curcio holds the White-McKee Endowed Professorship in Ophthalmology at UAB.
“Success in treating neovascular AMD has made atrophic AMD approachable,” Curcio said. “AMD is laid out in precise retinal layers and regions, now visible in living patients with modern imaging technology. A progression timeline of actionable, large biologic effects will make early treatment or even prevention feasible. The Weeks Award will assist this effort. I am truly honored.”