Researcher calls for more federal funding for eye research

WASHINTON, D.C. In his testimony during a Congressional briefing May 23, Gustavo Aguirre, the Caspary Professor of Ophthalmology at Cornell's James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health, emphasized the importance of increased federal funding for eye research to advance revolutionary gene therapy work

But a four-legged "witness" also made a strong impression on lawmakers and legislative aides in a briefing presented in cooperation with U.S. Reps. Patsy T. Mink (D-Hawaii), Connie A. Morella (R-Md.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.).

Aguirre was on a panel of three prominent eye researchers invited to speak at the briefing co-sponsored by the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research and the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The public session focused attention on recent advancements made in the field of eye research, as well as the need for increased funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Eye Institute (NEI)

Aguirre, whose pioneering research in gene therapy recently helped restore vision to a Briard dog blinded by an inherited disease, as reported in the May 2001 issue of Nature Genetics, appeared with Stuart L. Fine, director of the Scheie Eye Institute: Jean Bennett, of the F.M.Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology; and Paul Sieving, director-designate of the NEI. Aguirre and Bennett, together with Gregory Acland, senior research associate (who joined Aguirre at the Capitol Hill session), and Jharna Ray, assistant professor of molecular genetics, both at the Baker Institute, were part of a team of collaborators who made the gene-therapy breakthrough.

Aguirre predicted further advances in the treatment of blinding retinal degenerative diseases. He also stressed the critical importance of sustained funding by the NIH and the intrinsic value of collaboration among scientific colleagues, adding: "If any of the investigators in the study had not received funding from the NEI/NIH, this amazing breakthrough would never have come to pass. Without increased funding, much of this promise will languish on the laboratory bench."

A live appearance by Lancelot, the Briard dog born with a blinding genetic mutation and beneficiary of the first successful gene therapy for an inherited visual defect, drew considerable attention from the crowd.

"Everyone stayed to see Lancelot," Aguirre reported. "He behaved very well. It was clear that he was a happy dog and that he was well adjusted and perfectly visual. It was a wonderful moment."