Center Core Grant for Vision Research

Project Summary (Overall) This renewal application seeks continuing P30 funding for another five years to support the vision science research at the James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute (VDI), Medical College of Georgia (MCG) of Augusta University (AU). Vision scientists at VDI engage in high-impact research and discovery for patients suffering from blindness and visual disorders. VDI faculty members at Augusta University hold 15 qualifying NEI R01s, one NEI R21, and one NEI K99/R00 grant. This renewal aims to provide crucially needed expertise and instruments for vision research programs at VDI, promote collaborations within the VDI and with colleagues nationally and internationally, and develop and cultivate next-generation vision scientists and new projects. To achieve these, we have restructured the needed expertise, instruments, and services into three Modules: 1) Visual Function Assessment, 2) Histology and Imaging, and 3) Bioinformatics and Biostatistics. These modules will continue providing critical resources commonly used by multiple R01-funded investigators and new vision researchers. The renewed center grant with the three modules will provide significant resources to develop novel research projects with advanced technologies and establish new collaborations among and between investigators at VDI. The University has offered tremendous institutional support to fund pilot research projects, recruit new faculty members in VDI, host a Distinguished monthly Seminar series and its Annual Research Retreat, and offer travel awards for trainees attending national/international conferences. The renewed P30 Center Core grant will achieve its success with three specific aims: first is to provide continuing support for module personnel to assist and train investigators and their staff members on how to integrate the application of advanced instrumentation. The second aim is to provide centered and selected services, thus enhancing the productivity of VDI investigators without duplicating effort/resources. The third aim is to ensure the continuous productivity of our outstanding clinically relevant vision research at VDI. The three restructured modules will work together to support data collection from animal models, tissue/cell histology, and imaging, and to perform bioinformatics and biostatistical data analyses.