The objective of this long-standing vision training grant (VTG) program is to provide intensive basic and translational science training for individuals to grow into world leaders in vision research. Training is provided in the disciplines of cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, genetics, developmental biology, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, and cancer biology. Emphasis is placed on understanding fundamental mechanisms underlying normal ocular processes, as well as disorders of the retina, choroid, cornea, lens, optic nerve, and central visual processing. The program is a collaborative effort of basic sciences and clinical disciplines, providing the facilities and supervision for laboratory investigation aligned with the major missions of the National Eye Institute. The VTG faculty includes members of Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and multiple departments at Emory University. The Program Director and Executive Committee oversee the selection of trainees and the provision of appropriate background, technical training, and ongoing research supervision by mentors. Thus, the program stimulates collaboration among vision scientists and their trainees across the Atlanta Vision Research Community (AVRC). Our program successfully attracts minority trainees to careers in eye research, drawing from outstanding resources of Atlanta academic and medical institutions. The trainees include: (1) predoctoral students from the interdisciplinary Graduate Programs of: Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology; Neuroscience; Molecular and Systems Pharmacology; Genetics and Molecular Biology; Cancer Biology; and departments of Chemistry; Psychology; Biology; and Biomedical Engineering; and (2) postdoctoral fellows seeking advanced training with the VTG preceptors in a scientific area pertinent to vision research. Pre- and postdoctoral trainees select a preceptor with whom they develop a research proposal, conduct the research, and participate in the ongoing research projects of the mentor. Predoctoral trainees are appointed to the VTG only after selecting a dissertation advisor who is a member of the VTG faculty, usually after the first year of graduate study and passing written and oral qualifying exams. All trainees are expected to participate in the Vision Research Seminar series, Data Seminars, journal club, didactic course work, grand rounds, and other educational activities of the Emory Eye Center -- the focal point for eye research and clinical care in the Atlanta area.
The future of curing blinding eye disease relies on a continued supply of well-trained vision scientists. Our goal is to produce the next generation of scientists who are well versed in basic, clinical, and translational research approaches that will be needed to fulfill the future missions of the National Eye Institute.
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