Vision science at Vanderbilt has experienced tremendous growth in recent years.
In an effort to highlight the interdisciplinary research and training in vision science, the Vanderbilt Vision Research Center (VVRC) and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute (VEI) held a half-day symposium called VisionFest to celebrate the success of the more than 50 faculty members across Vanderbilt University.
“Vision science at Vanderbilt spans the entire campus,” said David Calkins, Ph.D., director of VVRC. “Our intention with VisionFest 2015 was to celebrate the rich history and tradition of vision science at Vanderbilt. We wanted to bring the faculty together under one roof to showcase our diversity as well as promote new collaborations.”
VVRC is supported by the National Eye Institute, which recently ranked the center as No. 6 in the country in the number of grant awards (28), totaling more than $9.8 million.
The VVRC promotes research and training on a wide range of problems in vision science including:
• Visually guided behavior and cognition
• Neural processes underlying visually guided behavior
• Comparative anatomy and physiology of visual systems
• Development and plasticity of the visual systems
• Regenerative medicine in visual neuroscience
• Diagnosis and treatment of vision and eye disorders
• Machine and computational vision
“Faculty investigations define a rich gamut, from the molecular underpinnings of photoreceptor function to visual consciousness and awareness,” said Calkins, vice-chair and director for Research and the Denis M. O’Day Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at VEI. “Vanderbilt is known widely for its spirit of collaboration and collegiality. It’s fitting that faculty, trainees and staff partner on a range of transformative investigations in vision science.”
