1

‘‘Dr Diego PonzinFondazione Banca degli Occhi del Veneto, Italy

Focus your research proposals and projects on topics that could eventually lead to clinical applications, first-in-human studies and pharmacological approaches.’’

2012

‘‘Dr Frank Verbraak University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Try to find a subject that is original and try to involve a multidisciplinary team in your research.

’’

2012

‘‘Professor Anneke den HollanderRadboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Netherlands

Describe how your results should be interpreted and what the clinical relevance of your findings is.’’

2013

G APGlobal Ophthalmology

Awards Program from Bayer

Advice from the alumni

Advice from the alumni

2

‘‘Dr Rocio Blanco GaravitoCentre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil, France

Be clear and concise in your Letter of Intent (LOI) and Full Proposal (FP).’’

2013

‘‘Assistant Professor Mahyar EtminanUniversity of British Columbia, Canada

Choose a project that can be completed within the allotted time and choose mentors who are able to guide you through the project.

’’

2014

‘‘Dr Aniruddha AgarwalStanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA

My advice to all the prospective applicants would be that all applications must be thoroughly reviewed for their scientific content and plausibility.

The project must be designed with a definite plan to complete in a timely manner. Ideally, the recruitment and interventions should be completed within 6 months to 1 year. The analysis can then be conducted during the remaining period of the fellowship. ’’

2014

Advice from the alumni

3

‘‘Associate Professor Fred Kuanfu ChenLions Eye Institute, University of Western Australia, Australia

Put yourself in the patient’s shoes and address the most relevant clinical questions that will make a difference to the patient’s care.

Do a thorough literature search and challenge the conclusions from previous research. Just because something has been done before doesn’t mean it has been done well. All experiments can be repeated using a better methodology with the potential of finding the opposite results previously published.

Don’t give up!’’

2015

‘‘Assistant Professor Li-Jia ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The study should be well planned and the objective(s) should be of impact to the field or of interest to a certain audience. The methods and design should be valid and the project should be presented logically, followed by sound and in-depth discussion.

’’

2015

Advice from the alumni

4

‘‘Dr Ana Raquel Sarabando SantiagoUniversidade de Coimbra, PortugalAfter writing the first draft, send it to colleagues and ask for feedback.’’

2015

‘‘Dr Tiarnan KeenanSpecialist Registrar in Ophthalmology, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Honorary Research Fellow, University of Manchester, UKDefine carefully the scope and limits of the research project, setting realistic goals that can be achieved within the time-frame. Use this opportunity to collaborate with the best in the field! ’’

2015

‘‘Dr Shyamanga BorooahUniversity of California, San Diego, CA, USA

Plan ahead and set up collaborations early! Ensure you have a clear goal with tangible outcomes, and be focused in your approach.’’

2016

Advice from the alumni

5

‘‘Dr Paul SteptoeRegiment Military Hospital, Sierra Leone

It is important to define a clear question at the beginning of your research journey. Try and find a novel angle, which has clinical relevance and is something that you feel passionate about.’’

2016

September 2018 G.COM.SM.STH.09.2018.1662