Qiuhong Li, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville. Her research is focused on the mechanisms causing retinal diseases, including inherited retinal degenerative diseases and other complex diseases such as AMD, retinal and choroidal neovascular diseases, and diabetic retinopathy using both gene-based and pharmacological approaches. She received a B.Sc. degree in biological science from Talimu University, China, and a PhD in molecular genetics and biology from the University of Alberta, Canada. She was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Ophthalmology at UF and became a faculty member in 2000.
"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for this award in support of our research project. My thanks go to all BrightFocus donors and staff generosity and hard work to make this happen. Our ultimate research goal is to find cures and treatments for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD afflicts millions of people worldwide and impairs the quality of life. As the age of the population increases in many nations, age-related degenerative diseases pose significant socioeconomic challenges. As a scientist, I’m compelled to better understand the underlying mechanisms for AMD in order to develop more effective therapies for preventing and treating this devastating disease. This award will support my research and bring me closer to achieving this important goal."