CENTER CORE GRANT FOR VISION RESEARCH

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The NEI P3O Center Core Grant for Vision Research at the University of Houston provides ongoing and stable funding for four high quality and productive vision research resource/service Modules: Instrument Design, Research Computer Programming, Biostatistics Support, and Biological Imaging. These Modules are directed by established vision scientists with NEI funding, and run by an exceptionally talented staff with considerable long-term experience in supporting and advancing innovative vision research at the University of Houston. The Modules provide needed research resources and services, with prioritized and equitable access, to the present group of 22 Core vision scientists who come from three departments at the University (Biomedical Engineering, Vision Sciences and Clinical Sciences in Optometry). These Core vision scientists have diverse training and research interests; they collaborate effectively with one another, as well as with more than 100 other vision researchers at this University or other institutions. Together, 11 of our Core investigators hold 10 active NEI R01 grants, with some other core investigators as Co-Is, as well as other NEI funding, NIH and nonfederal vision research funding. The College of Optometry and University of Houston provide substantial additional commitments in support of vision research. During the past five years of P30 funding at this University, the Core Grant has created a favorable vision research environment, including new instrumentation and core collaborative arrangements, that have contributed directly to 137 out of 230 published papers by Core investigators and supported the addition of eight investigators, established and new, to the Core group of vision scientists, four of whom brought or quickly secured NEI funding. The Core modules also were important to obtaining new NEI funding for a multicenter clinical trial. These accomplishments reflect the Core's previous and current aims reinforced by the oversight of the Administrative Core, that focus on advancing collaborative and innovative basic, translational and clinical research to increase knowledge and prevent or cure disease. Through these aims the Core grant provides stable funding, quality research services, new vision researchers, and new projects attracting NIH and NEI support. Especially emphasized in the coming five years will be innovative research basic, translational and clinical research and recruitment of vision researchers to fill our current open positions, as well as other positions in the future.