Impact of 11 years of glaucoma research funding: The Glaucoma Research Society of Canada (2010-2020)

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Research Funding
• Knowledge Dissemination

Background:

• The Glaucoma Research Society of Canada (GRSC) is Canada's sole nonprofit organization supporting peer-reviewed glaucoma research.
• Evaluating the productivity of funded research is crucial for understanding the impact of research investments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the research productivity of grants funded by the Glaucoma Research Society of Canada (GRSC) between 2010 and 2020.
• To analyze the relationship between research output and funding costs for GRSC-supported projects.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of GRSC-funded grants (2010-2020) was conducted.
• Research productivity was measured by peer-reviewed publications (PubMed) and conference presentations at major North American ophthalmology meetings.
• Publication and presentation data were correlated with grant funding amounts.

Main Results:

• Out of 135 GRSC grants, 62% resulted in publications and 50% in conference presentations.
• The average research output per grant was 1.3, with an average cost of $12,547 per research output.
• Research costs per output showed an increasing trend over the study period, with a minor decrease in 2019.

Conclusions:

• GRSC-funded research demonstrates consistent knowledge generation, with a high success rate in producing publications and presentations.
• The findings underscore the GRSC's vital role in advancing glaucoma research in Canada, despite increasing research costs.
• Sustained investment in peer-reviewed glaucoma research is essential for continued progress in the field.