Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the great health crises of our aging population. The statistics on AMD are staggering. Currently, 15 million people in the U.S. have the disease, and 1.7 million Americans have it in advanced form. 2% of all individuals aged 50-59 have AMD, rising to nearly 30% in individuals over the age of 75. With increasing life expectancies, by 2050 the number of people affected by AMD in the U.S. is expected to double.

For almost ten years, Dr. Monroe and Sandy Trout targeted AMD with their contributions to the McPherson ERI, including the establishment of three AMD-focused endowed chairs. In 2023, the Trouts increased their research investment with the creation of the Trout AMD Project (TAP), a comprehensive initiative that will expand and integrate AMD research at the McPherson ERI. As Dr.Trout noted years ago, “I have macular degeneration, and while I might not see a cure in my lifetime, we want to help researchers find ways to prevent and effectively treat this disease.” Dr. Trout himself passed away early in 2024.

TAP has several components made possible through a $5 million gift, including a fourth Trout endowed chair that will aid in recruiting new AMD researchers, as well as an endowment to directly support AMD research. It features an annual publication to highlight AMD research advances and an annual Sandra Trout Lecture delivered by prominent AMD researchers. TAP was inaugurated with a September 2023 Trout AMD Symposium in Sandy Trout’s hometown of Appleton, WI.

Dr. David Gamm notes, “Monroe and Sandy have always understood that continual innovation and open collaboration are needed to address the hurdles that persistently thwart efforts to prevent or treat many forms of AMD. We’re fortunate that they are so willing to invest in new ideas like TAP, which is the first of its kind to our knowledge.”

The legacy that the Trouts have established at UW-Madison is already remarkable and includes support for Wisconsin Public Television, Wisconsin Public Radio, the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and the Janet Lemke Cancer Fund. With the Trout AMD Project, their generosity is immeasurably impacting lives far into the future. As Dr. Gamm noted at the Project’s inception, “Monroe and Sandy are exceptionally caring and wise people, and they are determined to make the world a better place in many different ways.” This part of the text appears next to the image. It fills the space to the left of the image until the image ends vertically.

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