The Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) is launching the Snow Vision Accelerator in partnership with the University of Sydney, with a landmark AU$50 million commitment from the Snow family over 10 years, to prevent blindness from glaucoma.

To date, this is the largest, single philanthropic investment in vision science in Australia. 

The Snow Vision Accelerator will build on the work of world-renowned ophthalmologist Professor Jonathan Crowston and bring together leading Australian and international research groups to develop innovative treatments enhancing the ability of optic nerve cells to withstand injury and survive, addressing a pressing unmet need for effective glaucoma therapies.

“This transformative investment in ophthalmology in Australia, and one of the largest worldwide, is designed in partnership with the University of Sydney to revolutionise how we treat glaucoma and prevent blindness for millions of people worldwide,” Tom Snow, chair of the Snow Medical Research Foundation said. “Our family backs high-risk, high-reward science that addresses the most pressing global health challenges.

“This builds on Terry Snow’s vision to deliver real-world solutions at an accelerated pace by backing world-class researchers here in Australia. This is about doing philanthropy differently – by giving the long-term stability and resources to the best teams needed to translate research to the bedside. It is a commitment to excellence, global collaboration, urgency and intellectual vitality,” Snow said.

Prof Crowston, leading the programme from the University of Sydney, emphasised the significance of this investment. “This programme is game-changing because it addresses the unmet need for drugs that increase nerve resilience, a field where such treatments currently do not exist. Its unique scale and focus integrate teams across biological research, data science, drug development and clinical trials, all working towards a common product-oriented goal,” he said. 

The programme will begin in July 2025.