Research
Our department’s research strength lies with the strong collaborations between our clinical researchers and basic science researchers. Because of this, we have moved notable discoveries from the laboratory into the clinic in areas such as macular degeneration, cornea transplantation, and oculoplastics.
Message from the Director of Research, Harald Junge, PhD
“The vision research community at the University of Minnesota (UMN) indeed represents a diverse and multidisciplinary group of researchers dedicated to advancing the understanding of vision and related fields. The collaborative environment fosters interactions among faculty from various departments, allowing for innovative approaches and insights that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.
By engaging with members of prominent UMN institutes and centers, such as the Institute of Stem Cell Biology, the Institute for the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, the Institute of Human Genetics, the Center for Developmental Biology, the Brain Barriers Research Center, and the Cancer Center, the vision research community can leverage cutting-edge research and resources. This collaboration not only enhances the work being done within the vision research domain but also contributes to broader scientific advancements related to health, genetics, developmental biology, and disease mechanisms.
Such interdisciplinary efforts may lead to breakthroughs that can significantly impact the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of vision-related disorders, as well as improve our understanding of the underlying biological processes involved in vision and its connection to other biological systems.
Our OVNS research is strongly augmented by a network of outstanding and affordable research facilities, e.g., for vision research, stem cell biology, microscopy, imaging, genomics, transgenic animals, animal behavior, flow cytometry, viral vectors, mass spectrometry, and magnetic resonance. In addition to federal funding, research at UMN is supported by substantial state funding, for example for Medical Discovery Teams and Regenerative Medicine Minnesota. These growing research communities at UMN provide momentum and critical mass to further accelerate our ophthalmology and visual neuroscience research. Several of our OVNS faculty are leaders in graduate student education, for example in the Graduate Program Neuroscience, or the College of Biological Sciences graduate programs. OVNS faculty successfully obtained two NIH T32 training grants, which support excellence in research and graduate education across the campus. It is rewarding to participate in the training of the next generation of researchers who will advance basic science discoveries from the bench to the clinic.”