RR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application

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Dr. Pardue’s research program is centered on developing life-changing treatments for veterans with vision loss. She has made significant contributions in three research areas: a) treatments for retinal degeneration, b) early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, and c) retinal mechanisms of refractive development. Pre-clinical studies from her research program have enhanced our understanding of mechanisms that underlie blinding diseases and advanced new treatment options. Her dual position between the VA and Georgia Tech creates a unique situation to leverage resources and collaborations to move new technologies into the clinic. She is a firm believer that collaborative research is essential to translate results from bench to bedside. This is reflected in over 75% of her 89 publications stemming from collaborations with over 46 different investigators. Moreover, her findings have formed the basis for 3 areas of translational studies to human patients (retinal prosthetics, diabetic retinopathy, and neuroprotection therapies). Dr. Pardue’s dual appointment and research interests create novel opportunities to draw parallels and intersections between different systems and fields of study with the potential for ground-breaking discoveries. Dr. Pardue’s commitment to teaching and mentorship are illustrated by a number of roles. She has lectured to undergraduate and graduate students on the retina and visual system for the last 18 years and been the instructor for 7 courses. Dr. Pardue has a strong interest in professional development and has organized and taught courses for post-docs and graduate students on this topic at the VA, Emory, and Georgia Tech, as well as at international conferences. In addition, she actively supports women in science at the graduate and junior faculty levels through institutional and international programs. Dr. Pardue has mentored 5 VA Career Development Awardees (CDAs). Over 80% of the students that she has mentored have continued on in medicine or science. Dr. Pardue has consistently served the scientific community throughout her career. Specific to the VA, Dr. Pardue chaired the IACUC Committee from 2004-2008 and has chaired the R&D Committee for the last ten years (2008-date). She assisted with two successful renewal cycles of the Atlanta VA Rehab Center. As the Associate Director of Scientific Projects, she directed the internal review process of all Rehab Center submissions, increasing the funding rate to 20% for Merits and 42% for CDAs. She currently serves as the interim Associate Director of the CVNR. She also serves on the Advisory Board for the Atlanta VA non-profit foundation (AREF). On the international level, she has served on several committees for ARVO and was awarded their prestigious Silver Fellow Award in May 2016. Dr. Pardue has served on many study sections from NIH, VA, and various national and international private foundations. She currently serves as a regular member of NIH Neuroscience and Ophthalmic Imaging Technologies (NOIT) study section. Her contributions and leadership in the field was recognized in 2017 by induction as a fellow into the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE). Dr. Pardue’s future goals are to 1) develop new rehabilitation strategies for blinding diseases, 2) identify the earliest signs of diabetic retinopathy and determine early interventions to slow the progression of vision loss, and 3) determine the role of dopamine in refractive eye growth. These goals are grounded in the results from her laboratory over the last several years, including the increased number of publications in high impact journals. Based on prior success, she anticipates the development of new treatment strategies. Translation of these findings from the laboratory to the clinic will be facilitated by her collaborations within the CVNR and clinicians at the VA. Thus, these projects support both the common theme of understanding and treating retinal disease to prolong functional vision and the VA mission of improving healthcare for veterans.