Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) has awarded a total of $300,000 to two groundbreaking research projects, marking a significant milestone in its 25th Anniversary year. The awards were announced at a special event held at The Woodward Centre in Melbourne on the 19th of June 2026.
The new MDFA 25th Anniversary Award provides $200,000 to advance understanding of geographic atrophy, while the Elisabeth Macdonald Memorial Award provides $100,000 to support people living with macular disease in regional and rural Australia.
Funded through the generosity of donors, these anniversary grants build on MDFA’s strong research legacy. Since 2011, MDFA has invested $7.2 million into world-class Australian research, making it the largest non-government funder of macular disease research in Australia.
MDFA 25th Anniversary Award recipient
Associate Professor Zhichao Wu has been awarded the MDFA 25th Anniversary Award to fund his research aimed at detecting geographic atrophy progression and accelerating future research and making future studies of new treatments for geographic atrophy more efficient.
Geographic atrophy, also called late-stage dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), occurs when retinal cells gradually die, leading to patches of ‘missing retina’ (called lesions), which can affect the macula, causing loss of central vision.
Associate Professor Wu’s research aims to address the need for more accurate ways to detect vision loss in people with geographic atrophy by testing a new, more sensitive method of monitoring vision loss from geographic atrophy.
You can find out more about this research here.
Elisabeth Macdonald Memorial Award recipient
Professor Angus Turner is the first recipient of the new Elisabeth Macdonald Memorial Award for research relevant to people living with a macular or retinal disease living in regional or rural areas of Australia.
Professor Turner will further develop, validate and test a cutting-edge imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) tool that analyses retinal photographs to detect retinal and macular diseases, including AMD and diabetic retinopathy, as well as glaucoma.
This project aims to improve access to retinal screening for people across regional and rural Western Australia who have limited access to specialist eye care, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and preventable vision loss. The goal is to support earlier detection, improve referral pathways and enhance access to timely eye care in underserved communities.
You can find out more about this research here.
Groundbreaking research is only possible because of donors
These important research initiatives are only possible because of the generosity of MDFA’s donors. Every donation, no matter how big or small, plays a vital role in accelerating research to improve the lives of people living with macular disease.
To support future research and help fund the next generation of discoveries, you can donate here.
Posted: 1 August 2025
