Core Support for Vision Research

描述(由申请者提供)：哥伦比亚大学有一个庞大而充满活力的视力研究社区，由国家眼科研究所支持，有20个合格的补助金。哥伦比亚大学的视力研究涵盖了大量主题，从果蝇和小鼠视网膜和视觉大脑发育的基因研究，到眼病患者行为的流行病学研究。计算、神经生理学、光镜和电子显微镜、遗传学、生化和临床技术集中在一系列问题上，包括眼睛和视脑的发育，眼血管生成的机制，视觉和眼动行为的系统神经科学，以及黄斑变性等视网膜疾病的病理生理学和治疗。为了支持这项视力研究，我们要求建立一套由国家眼科研究所资助的视力研究核心设施，以提供个人研究拨款无法提供的服务。拟议的核心将有三个模块：一个仪器制造和设计模块，它将是由不可续签的NEI计划资助的类似模块的继任者；一个计算机支持模块，它将包括为视觉研究界使用的数百台计算机提供非现场数据备份、支持和维护，其中包括一个X-GRID集群；以及一个显微成像模块，它将提供组织学和活体以及荧光显微镜服务。这一核心还将促进哥伦比亚视觉研究社区成员之间的合作，并鼓励目前未从事视觉研究的科学家利用他们的专业知识解决与视觉有关的问题。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Columbia University has a large and vibrant vision research community supported by the National Eye Institute, with 20 qualifying grants. Vision research at Columbia ranges across a huge gamut of topics, from genetic studies of retinal and visual brain development in Drosophila and mice to epidemiological studies of the behavior of patients with eye disease. Computational, neurophysiological, light and electron microscopic, genetic, biochemical, and clinical techniques focus on a range of problems including the development of the eye and the visual brain, the mechanisms of ocular angiogenesis, the systems neuroscience of visual and oculomotor behavior, and the pathophysiology and treatment of retinal diseases such as macular degeneration. To support this vision research we are requesting the establishment of a National Eye Institute supported set of Core Facilities for Vision Research, to provide services that could not be provided by individual research grants. The proposed core will have three modules: a instrumentation fabrication and design module which will be the successor of a similar module which was funded by an NEI program which cannot be renewed; a computer support module which will include offsite data backup, support and maintenance for the hundreds of computers, including an X-grid cluster, used by the vision research community, and a microscopic imaging module which will provide histological and in vivo and fluorescent microscopy services. This core will also facilitate collaboration among members of the Columbia vision research community, and encourage scientists not currently engaged in vision research to use their expertise to solve problems related to vision.