This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
People in focus: Annual Review 2023
This year’s Annual Review ‘People in focus’ celebrates everyone who helps CERA deliver innovative vision research that has real-life impact, from our scientists and supporters to our research partners and people living with vision loss and blindness.
In this year’s message to supporters, CERA Chair Olivia Hilton and Managing Director Professor Keith Martin highlight CERA’s transformative year, marked by critical investments in people and infrastructure to deepen our research impact.
“In 2023 we celebrated a $10 million investment from Breakthrough Victoria – the Government’s innovation investment fund – in our new clinical trials centre and were thrilled to be able to deliver on that investment when our new centre opened in May 2024.
“Cerulea Clinical Trials – under the leadership of CEO Michelle Gallaher – will be a global hub for clinical trials, creating high-skill jobs, attracting new research talent, and growing industry partnerships to ensure people living with vision loss and blindness have increased access to advanced therapeutics.
“This initiative, alongside our new discovery labs that include a state-of-the-art genetic engineering hub, will enable us to expand our research and accelerate the translation of promising discoveries from lab to clinic.
“Our increased focus on people in 2023 saw the launch of our Gender Action Plan to tackle barriers affecting the career progress of women and other under-represented groups in medical research.
“This included the appointment of our first Equity Fellow for Excellence in Vision Research Dr Anna Wang.
“We also took steps towards embedding consumer involvement at CERA, appointing Kelly Schulz as a Consumer Involvement and Advocacy Lead who will work with consumers to ensure our research strategy and clinical operations meet the needs of people living with vision loss and blindness.”
The collective impact of CERA’s sight-saving research and innovation is showcased in our 2023 Annual Review.
Our research impact
Some of our achievements from 2023 include:
- 81 active clinical research studies involving over 3800 participants
- Several research teams securing competitive funding, including two NHMRC Ideas Grants
- Our Retinal Gene Therapy Unit becoming the first Australian site for Uni-Rare – a global registry to improve understanding of inherited retinal diseases and boost potential therapies
- An international collaboration led by our Visual Neurovascular Unit, backed by Fighting Blindness Canada, to repair blood vessel and optic nerve damage in glaucoma.
You can read Professor Martin and Ms Hilton’s full message to supporters and more about our research in People in Focus: Annual Review 2023 (PDF) or by clicking through to individual stories via the links below.