The Retreat Committee (pictured) and other participants of the Vision Science Research Center Retreat heard from Michael Chiang, M.D., Director of the National Eye InstituteMichael Chiang, M.D., director of the National Eye Institute, spoke Friday, March 13, during the University of Alabama at Birmingham Vision Science Research Center’s Retreat.
The National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the nation’s leading supporter of vision research.
“Having Dr. Chiang speak to VSRC members, who represent every area of UAB’s vision science community, will further energize our researchers and may offer valuable insight into the priorities of the NIH and the NEI,” said Kelly Nichols, O.D., Ph.D., dean of the UAB School of Optometry. “Our scientists work diligently every day to produce discoveries that improve patient care, and this speech by Dr. Chiang and the retreat as a whole will certainly have a positive impact on their work.”
UAB’s Vision Science Research Center is a multidisciplinary research center in its 48th year and includes nearly 100 members from 15 academic departments across five schools and colleges. The center supports collaborative research and serves the university, state and region through education and outreach. Initiated as a departmental center in 1978 by the School of Optometry, it was one of the 10 UAB centers selected as an inaugural University-wide Interdisciplinary Research Center. Throughout its history, the VSRC has grown consistently in both faculty involvement and extramural funding.
“It was an honor to hear from Dr. Chiang and to showcase the depth and breadth of our vision science research enterprise. His speech underscored the important role our investigators play in advancing discoveries that align with the National Eye Institute’s mission to prevent and treat blinding diseases,” said Brian Samuels, M.D., Ph.D., The EyeSight Foundation of Alabama Endowed Chair of the UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. “Opportunities for dialogue with national leaders like Dr. Chiang strengthen our collaborations, elevate our research community and reinforce UAB’s position as a leader in ophthalmic innovation.”
The virtual visit recognized UAB’s contribution to vision research and served as a unique opportunity for faculty and trainees to engage with national leadership in the field. The retreat included brief research presentations by faculty from both the School of Optometry and DOVS, as well as other departments collaborating with the VSRC. The event included a poster presentation session from graduate students and postdocs.
“This was an outstanding opportunity to hear from Dr. Chiang and to showcase all of the great vision science that is happening at UAB,” said Steven Pittler, Ph.D., director of the Vision Science Research Center.