DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Vision Research Center (MVRC) is the research arm of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The MCVR draws together 48 eye and vision research investigators across the University of Miami and nearby institutions. Forty-two investigators hold primary appointments in the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. This P30 core center grant is specifically directed towards MVRC investigators to integrate expertise on cellular, molecular, functional, anatomical, biophysical, computational, and clinical aspects of the visual system and its disorders, as well as share core resources and educational programs. The MVRC Team includes 21 NEI-funded Principal Investigators holding 19 qualifying NEI grants as well as 27 Principal Investigators holding non-NEI funded grants. Most of the research space is located within the eight-story MVRC. Additional space is located in the adjacent Biomedical Research Building, Rosenstiel building, Lois Pope LlFE center, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Clinical Research Building. We request continuing support for a Vision Research Core Grant whose specific aims are, 1) to provide and sustain core resource facilities to enhance the pace and quality of research, 2) to foster collaborative research among investigators from various disciplines, 3) to attract investigators to research on the visual system and its diseases, 4) to help investigators gathering data for new NIH grant proposals. The core grant will support four modules: I) Shared Equipment: to provide access to instrumentation beyond the reach of single labs, II) Experimental Models: to provide expertise and services on in-vivo procedures and testing. III) Biological imaging: to support the processing of biological specimens for quantitative microscopy analysis, IV) Biostatistics: to provide expertise on research design and data analysis. The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute supports additional shared resources including, V) Ophthalmic Biophysics Center: for consultation, maintenance and construction of ad-hoc instrumentation; VI) Clinical Microbiology Laboratory: providing services for clinical and basic research heeds; Vll) The Mary & Edward Norton Library: housing the world's largest collection on the subject of ophthalmology.

The Core Grant for Vision Research supports the activity of 48 investigators across the University of Miami whose programs are highly significant for eye disorders. Investigators share core resources and educational programs, and integrate expertise on biological and clinical aspects of eye disorders, thereby accelerating progress and increasing success of studies to preserve and restore eyesight.