Two leading European institutes for eye research – the Institute for Ophthalmic Research (IOR) at the University of Tübingen and the Institut de la Vision (IDV) of Sorbonne Université in Paris – are joining forces to launch an outstanding international research and training program.

Under the name “limits2vision”, they are initiating a graduate program supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Franco-German University (FGU), Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), and Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) “FOReSIGHT” to train the next generation of vision researchers – beginning  in January 2026.

At the heart of this international PhD program is the retina – a highly complex neural tissue in the eye responsible for processing visual information and transmitting it to the brain. With over 100 distinct cell types and one of the highest energy demands in the human body, the retina is a fascinating biological system – powerful yet vulnerable. The goal of limits2vision is to decipher the mechanisms that enable the retina to maintain its delicate balance between intense energy consumption and visual processing. “We are faced with the paradox that the human retina can function robustly for around 100 years yet degenerates rapidly in the presence of certain genetic mutations” explains Thomas Euler (University of Tübingen), spokesperson for the program. “Advancing our understanding of this balance provides a critical foundation for developing new therapies for retinal disorders, the majority of which are still incurable”.

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