Three researchers receive 2025 ARVO Foundation Early Career Clinician-Scientist Awards

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Foundation has announced Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, MD; Denise Loya-Garcia, MD, PhD and Vishal Raval, MD, as the recipients of the 2025 ARVO Foundation Early Career Clinician-Scientist Award.

From left: Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, MD; Denise Loya-Garcia, MD, PhD; Vishal Raval, MD. Images courtesy of ARVO.

Eligibility for the award extends to researchers engaged in basic or clinical vision research who hold an MD or equivalent clinical professional degree with an academic faculty or comparable appointment, who are committed to a career encompassing institutionally guaranteed protected time for research and who are currently working or have previously worked under the guidance of a mentor.

The recipients of the award will receive a $3,000 honorarium.

Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, MD, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy, is an assistant professor with primary areas of expertise in medical retina and uveitis. Cicinelli has conducted research investigating the progression of pachychoroid disease by identifying distinct phenotypic clusters using multimodal imaging and machine learning.

Cicinelli stated, in a release from ARVO, that the study "provides insights into the natural history of pachychoroid disease, highlighting the relative stability of advanced disease stages and the dynamic nature of earlier forms.”

Commenting on the honour, Cicinelli said, "This experience has reinforced the importance of pushing boundaries—both in research and in the limits we set for ourselves. It serves as a valuable lesson for early-career scientists like myself, and I hope it inspires others to embrace challenges, explore new methodologies, and pursue their talents with confidence.”

Denise Loya-Garcia, MD, PhD, Instituto de Oftalmología Fundación Conde de Valenciana, Mexico, is an ophthalmologist specialising in cornea, refractive surgery, and external diseases. She is researching the long-term outcomes of the Boston keratoprosthesis, an artificial cornea designed to help people with severe corneal blindness when traditional corneal transplants are not an option, in Latin America.

Loya-Garcia commented on the award in a press release from ARVO.

"Being recognised with an award is both an honour and a reminder of the responsibility that comes with it," Loya-Garcia said. “While such recognition acknowledges dedication and effort and creates opportunities for future collaboration, it also serves as a call to action—to pay it forward. Just as we have been guided, supported, and given opportunities by others, we must do the same for those who follow. True success is not measured only by personal achievements but by the impact we have on others, ensuring that the knowledge, support and opportunities we received continue to inspire and uplift future generations.”

The final recipient, Vishal Raval, MD, LV Prasad Eye Institute, India, is currently pursuing a PhD in the field of novel drug delivery treatment for retinoblastoma. Raval notes that his proposed research will have an inherent public health impact on developing nations that are carrying retinoblastoma’s global burden. Raval will test the working hypothesis that applying a dissolvable polymer-based microneedle patch loaded with topotecan on the sclera will achieve therapeutic target levels in choroid-retinal complex.

“What is widely used in developed nations does not apply to populations in developing nations with low incomes, lack of infrastructure and limited access to technologically complex treatment in countries like India,” Raval explained. “Considering the high cost and technical complexity of IAC (intra-arterial chemotherapy) and the lack of cultural acceptance of the alternative (enucleation), there is an urgent need to develop new drug delivery approaches that are effective yet easy to administer.”

Commenting on the award, Raval said, "This validates the hard work and dedication of my team and serves as a motivator for further research... Overall, this award is not just an accolade, but a significant catalyst that will propel my research career forward, allow me to make a greater impact in the field, and help me pursue my dream of becoming a true clinician-scientist."

Reference:

1. Recipients of ARVO Foundation Early Career Clinician-Scientist Research Awards announced. Published March 12, 2025. Accessed March 13, 2025.https://www.newswise.com/articles/recipients-of-arvo-foundation-early-career-clinician-scientist-research-awards-announced