Research Training Program in Vision Science

PROJECT SUMMARY A mentor group of 12 senior, mid-level and young investigators, including 6 new members, each with experience in training and with active and competitive research programs, propose to continue a Training Program in Vision Science at the Medical College of Wisconsin for another 5 years. The request is for support for 6 pre-doctoral trainees annually. The goal remains to prepare trainees for careers in vision research. This requires that students have a broad appreciation of the major features of the visual system, a contemporary understanding of the diseases that impact vision, and state-of-the-art skills for experimental work in the visual system. It also requires that trainees acquire the analytical and communication skills necessary to succeed in a multidisciplinary research environment. Our highly collaborative mentor group provides expertise in multiple aspects of the visual system, including: the mechanisms of ocular disorders (ranging from early onset pediatric phenotypes to adult onset degenerative disorders, diabetic retinopathy and myopia); development of diverse disease models for functional studies; retinal circuitry and its development; gene therapy and editing; nuclear magnetic resonance methods, with X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulations; and ocular coherence tomography and adaptive optics. Pre-doctoral trainees will complete a core curriculum including fundamental topics in Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, Neurobiology, Biophysics, Physiology and Cell Biology. In addition, students receive training in “Instructional Program in the Responsible Conduct of Research” and "The Biology of Vision" as a prelude to conducting dissertation research. All students will have the opportunity to enroll in the Clinical and Translational Science certificate program, which includes additional training in translational research. All trainees in mentor labs will also participate in a monthly Vision Science Forum, the Distinguished Lecture Series in Vision Science, an annual T32 Student Symposium and other events. New features of the program include: a Young Investigator Seminar Series, uniquely designed to allow our trainees to interact with trainees in other vision programs around the world; an annual off-campus Vision Science Retreat uniting basic and clinical research performed at MCW; expanded opportunities for interactions with the clinical enterprise; and an enhanced focus on modern approaches. Internal and External Advisory Committees (IAC and EAC) will continue to provide additional guidance, and we are excited to resume their in-person visits that were impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The IAC will include some new members, including a senior graduate student representative, further improving mentor-trainee communications and feedback as well as enhancing the overall transparency of the program. In summary, we are committed to training a diverse cadre of PhDs and our trainees are unquestionably prepared to lead successful careers in science. Our past record includes 40 pre-doctoral trainees, from which 12 hold faculty positions (8 in vision research), 13 developed successful non- academic biomedical science careers, 6 are postdoctoral fellows and 7 are currently still in training.