Visual Optics and Cornea

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-established graduate and research program in Vision Science at Indiana University seeks support for five years for two clinicians to be trained within the guidelines for the Institutional Clinical Scientist Development Program. The specific aim of the program is to train clinician scientists and patient oriented clinical investigators who in turn will establish an independent research program in vision. This proposal specifically outlines two programs, one in visual optics and the other in cornea to train two clinicians for careers in vision research. The trainees will be integrated into the formal Ph.D. degree program in Vision Science at Indiana University. Currently Ph.D. degree requires a total of 90 credit hours, of which 30 must come from didactic courses. In order to allow more time for clinicians to focus on research, the program allows the clinically trained graduate students to use 6 credits from the clinical program towards their 30 credit-didactic requirement. Professors Bonanno and Thibos, two highly accomplished investigators, with long track records of funded research and graduate training, will be the primary mentors for the two selected trainees. Each mentor has a long term collaborative relationship with a number of basic and clinical scientists both within the Vision Science program and outside with other departments such as psychology, neuroscience, chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, medical science, ophthalmology, physiology and biophysics. The seamless interaction between other departments of the University Graduate School at Indiana University will be fully utilized to enhance the educational and research experiences of the selected clinicians. A communication system will be established to track the top optometry graduates in residencies and in private practice. Extensive recruitment tools and personal contacts will be utilized to advertise the program broadly to attract the best applicants including women and minorities.