The purpose of this Core grant is to provide support for the extensive vision research program at the LSU Eye Center. To this end, we are proposing to continue the five Modules from the current grant period: the TISSUE CULTURE MODULE, which provides viruses, bacteria, cell lines, and specialized media as well as expertise in the management and use of these materials; the OCULAR STRUCTURE AND IMAGE ANALYSIS MODULE, which light and electron microscopy and image analysis for the documentation of anatomical observations; the COMPUTER AND BIOSTATISTICS MODULE, which provides expertise and oversight of computer hardware and software from mainframes to Pcs, biostatistical functions, and a major contribution to the management of the complex computer-based image analysis systems in the Ocular Structure Module; the INSTRUMENT SHOP MODULE, which provides high quality instrument fabrication and technical advice for the construction of specialized equipment for research; and the CLINICAL VISION RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT MODULE, which provides the services of a biostatistician to aid in the design, preparation, management, and analysis of clinical studies, as well as a clinical coordinator to assist in implementation of clinical study protocols. The Ocular Structure Module has been expanded to include state-of-the-art image analysis capabilities running on high end PCS, as well as a Silicon Graphics workstation, which are connected directly to the scanning and electron microscopes and a real-time confocal microscope. New functions of the Computer Module include networking of mainframe and individual laboratory computer systems, development of neural net software; provision of corneal topography analysis; access to gene and protein gene sequence data base; expertise in the use of a variety of statistical software packages and appropriate applications to individual research; and provision of systems management for the Image Analysis portion of the Ocular Structure Module. The vision research program at the LSU Eye Center involves 15 basic and clinical scientists with 21 active R01/R55/R37/U10 grants and subcontracts; virtually all of these and associated research projects involve collaborations among the Core grant investigators as well as with investigators in other LSU Medical Center departments, in other institutions in New Orleans (Tulane, University of New Orleans, Ochsner); and in institutions across the US and in other countries. The Core grant, which provides services not available within the confines of any one research grant, has been an essential factor in the support of this productive group of scientists over the past 15 years and it is hoped that future support will enable the continuation of this high level of quality and productivity in the years to come.
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