Visual Sciences Center of Biomedical Research Excellence

项目摘要/摘要 视觉科学Cobre(VS-Cobre)的总体目标是优化基础设施和指导，以 支持西弗吉尼亚大学围绕视觉科学的可持续、多学科和协作的研究环境。 VS-Cobre的建立将加强专注于理解的科学界 对视觉健康至关重要的过程，其长期目标是促进 预防和治疗对阿巴拉契亚地区人口影响不成比例的致盲疾病。西 弗吉尼亚州的视力残障率在全国排名第二，预计到2050年，这一比例将翻一番。 我们将通过完成以下目标来实现我们的目标：AIM1，支持项目负责人(PLS)实现 独立的外部资金；目标2，通过以下方式促进对视觉系统的基本了解 优化相关技术基础设施；目标3，促进采取综合、多学科办法 有影响力的视觉科学研究；目标4：实施一项严格的战略，以评估 VS-Cobre致力于促进一个强大的视觉科学卓越中心。以我们现有的优势 和研究基础设施网络，再加上VS-Cobre中提出的倡议，包括指导 在我们四个有前途的年轻人中，我们处于有利地位，可以实现我们的目标。创造了一个中心 卓越为整合整个校园的努力提供了场所，包括由NIGMS支持的活动 包括WV CTSI和其他Cobres，眼科和视觉系的临床企业 科学，以及由基础生物学家领导的生物化学、神经科学、生物学、 以及生物医学工程专业的课程。VS-Cobre将把视觉科学家团结在一个共同的 主题，优化智力环境，培养交叉合作。当调查人员 通过获得相当于R01的奖励来实现独立性，我们将利用 VS-Cobre将招聘更多与视觉科学有关的初级科学家。核心设施 由科布雷支持的研究基础设施也将使我们的研究人员能够产生研究结果 这将转化为患者，推动我们朝着减轻视力障碍负担的最终目标前进 以及它在阿巴拉契亚地区、全国和世界范围内的共病。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overarching goal of the Visual Sciences CoBRE (VS-CoBRE) is to optimize infrastructure and mentoring to support a sustainable, multidisciplinary, and collaborative research environment at WVU around visual sciences. The establishment of the VS-CoBRE will strengthen the scientific community focused on understanding processes that are essential to visual health with the long-term goal of contributing to novel approaches for prevention and treatment of blinding diseases that disproportionately affect Appalachia's population. West Virginia has the 2nd highest rate of visual disability in the nation, and the incidence is projected to double by 2050. We will achieve our goals by completing the following aims: Aim1, Support Project Leaders (PLs) to achieve independent extramural funding; Aim 2, Promote the fundamental understanding of the visual system through optimizing relevant technical infrastructure; Aim 3, Promote a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to impactful visual sciences research; and Aim 4: Implement a rigorous strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of the VS-CoBRE towards promoting a robust center of excellence in visual sciences. With our existing strengths and research infrastructure network, coupled with the initiatives proposed in this VS-CoBRE, including mentoring of our four-promising junior PLs, we are well-positioned to achieve our goal. The creation of a center of excellence provides a venue for integrating efforts across the campus, including activities supported by NIGMS including the WV CTSI and other CoBREs, the clinical enterprise in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and investigations led by basic biologists in the Departments of Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Biology, and the program in Biomedical Engineering. The VS-CoBRE will coalesce vision scientists around a common theme, enhance the intellectual environment, and cultivate cross collaborations. When the investigators proposed for support by this grant achieve independence by obtaining an R01-equivalent award, we will leverage the VS-CoBRE to recruit additional junior scientists whose work pertains to visual sciences. The core facilities and research infrastructure supported by the CoBRE will also allow our investigators to produce research results that will translate to patients, moving us toward our ultimate goal of reducing the burden of visual impairment and its comorbidities in the Appalachian region, throughout the nation, and worldwide.