Moorfields Eye Charity joins clinician scientist fellowship to advance rare eye disease research

Moorfields Eye Charity has joined the Academy of Medical Sciences and LifeArc as a funding partner for the new Clinician Scientist Innovation Fellowship.

Through the partnership, one of the new Fellows will focus on advancing research into rare eye diseases and translating scientific discoveries into potential benefits for patients.

The Clinician Scientist Innovation Fellowship supports UK-based, postdoctoral clinician scientists who are developing independence in their research careers. Initially focused on rare diseases, the scheme gives Fellows the flexibility to shape their award around their research goals, clinical expertise and career ambitions.

Alongside funding for ambitious research, Fellows will receive tailored mentoring and career development support, with opportunities to undertake placements or collaborations with industry and other sectors. The scheme is designed to help clinician scientists develop the skills, experience and partnerships needed to translate research into better patient outcomes. 

Sight loss can have a profound effect on quality of life, mental and physical health, and people’s ability to remain physically active. At the same time, developments including artificial intelligence, implantable devices, and cell and gene therapies are creating new possibilities for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of eye disease. Turning these advances into clinical practice will require researchers who can work across traditional sector and disciplinary boundaries. 

We are thrilled to have joined the Academy of Medical Sciences and LifeArc in this exciting partnership. There are many rare eye diseases which have a huge impact on individuals throughout their life. The nature of rare diseases means they are so often overlooked. We need innovative translational research to provide hope, especially where sight loss is part of a broader complex condition.

Dr Peter Bloomfield, Director of Grants and Research at the Moorfields Eye Charity

The Fellowship forms part of a wider effort to strengthen clinical research careers. Clinician scientists combine experience of caring for patients with research expertise, placing them in a distinctive position to identify unmet needs and move promising discoveries towards clinical use.

However, the number of clinical academics in the UK has been declining, with many researchers leaving the pathway before they can establish independent careers.

Clinician scientists are uniquely placed to understand what patients need and to take research towards meeting that need. Their numbers have been falling for years, and too many leave research careers before they have the chance to do that work.

This Clinician Scientist Innovation Fellowship gives postdoctoral clinician scientists the funding, mentoring and cross-sector experience they need to stay on that path.

We are pleased that Moorfields Eye Charity has joined us as a funder, which shows the model can attract further support and that partnerships across sectors have a central part to play in getting research to patients.

Professor Sir Andrew Morris CBE FRSE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences

Collaboration fuels innovation and breakthroughs. If we are to rise to the challenge of rare eye disease, we need to develop effective cross-disciplinary teams.

With the Moorfields and UCL Centre for Eye Health opening in 2027, bringing together care, research innovation and education under one roof, this is an ideal time for clinician scientists to build partnerships across sectors.

Dr Peter Bloomfield

Applications for the Clinician Scientist Innovation Fellowship close at 4pm on 23 November 2026. 

Find out more and apply for the Clinician Scientist Innovation Fellowship.