P30 - Core Grant for Vision Research



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of the Core Grant for Vision Research is to provide support and facilities which are not available and cannot be obtained through individual grants exclusively for vision research and NEI-funded projects at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). The Core also provides space, support personnel and capital equipment to facilitate state-of-the-art vision research and collaborations among vision research laboratories in the College. The Vision Research Core at BCM currently has 25 vision research investigators, carrying 17 eligible NEI R01s, 1 NEI P41, 1 NEI PN2, 1 NEI K08, 1 NEI DP1, 1 NEI R21, 2 NEI T32s, 8 NIH R01s from other NIH institutes and 2 DOD grants, and their research areas cover the structure, function and pathogenesis of the entire visual system, from the cornea and lens to the retina and to the central visual centers. Their research disciplines include biochemistry, molecular genetics, electrophysiology, genomic/bioinformatic analysis, psychophysics, computational visual neuroscience and developmental biology. These investigators form a vibrant and highly interactive vision research group, and have published more than 400 papers in the past 5 years, and 259 of which have benefited directly from the usage of this Vision Core during this grant period. In this competing renewal application, we report our highly successful and productive past usage of the Core facilities, and seek continued support for four Resource/Service Modules: the Microscopy, Digital Imaging and Histology Module, the Instrumentation Module, the Small Animal Visual System Analysis Module and the Genomic and Bioinformatics Module. These modules contain equipment worth over $5M purchased with the Department of Ophthalmology and the College funds (in 2014 alone, over $1.2M new equipment was purchased to update and expand the Core's research capacities). The Specific Aims of the Vision Core are: (1) To provide three scanning confocal microscope and one electron microscope services for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of tissues and cells labeled with fluorescent dyes and for ultrastructural analysis of ocular and neural tissues, and to provide histological facilities, services and training for both confocal and electrn microscopy. (2) To provide in-house, custom-designed machine, electronic, optics and computer services to the Vision Core investigators who need special apparatuses that are not commercially available. (3) To provide access to structural, physiological, biochemical, and behavior testing facilities, such as OCT, ERG, HPLC, mass spectrometry and OKR, to study mouse, rat and rabbit visual system function, dysfunction, and structural/genetic defects. (4) To provide state-of-the-art genomic technologies and critical bioinformatics support to Vision Core labs by leveraging the expertise, technologies, and resources of the BCM Human Genome Sequencing Center. (5) To foster interactions and collaborations among various vision research and to provide a vibrant research environment for vision research faculty and student recruitment and retention at BCM.