Ophthalmology Clinical Research Unit

Director: Cynthia Owsley, MSPH, PhD

Department/Center Association: Ophthalmology

Established: 2002

Mission

The mission of the Ophthalmology Clinical Research Unit is to increase the clinical research capability at UAB in the area of eye disease and vision impairment so that UAB investigators can develop high quality research programs and enhance existing ones. The Unit meets this goal by providing core resources and consultation to investigators in the areas of study design and implementation, project coordination, database design and management, biostatistical analysis, grantsmanship, and grants management.

Facility Description

Located on the sixth floor of the Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital, the Unit is under the direction of Cynthia Owsley, MSPH, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Vice Chair for Clinical Research. The Associate Director for Epidemiology and Biostatistical Services is Gerald McGwin, Jr., MS, PhD, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and International Health. They are assisted by a staff with broad expertise in database design, statistical programming, project coordination, survey administration, fundus photography, administration of specialized visual tests, industry-sponsored research, budgetary oversight, regulatory compliance, and grantsmanship.

The Clinical Research Unit was originally developed through a Clinical Vision Research Development Award (R21-EY14071) from the National Eye Institute that has as its intent the establishment of resources to facilitate patient-oriented research. This award was matched by the EyeSight Foundation of Alabama. The Clinical Research Unit is currently supported through an infrastructure grant from the EyeSight Foundation of Alabama and by an endowment.

Research Information

Core resources are currently being provided for a number of research projects. Projects address aims related to prevention or treatment strategies for eye disease, risk factors for eye disease, or the visual rehabilitation of persons with irreversible vision impairment. Individual projects are funded by the National Institutes of Health and private agencies. Examples of topics currently being addressed are age-related maculopathy, glaucomatous optic neuropathy in African Americans, ophthalmic interventions to improve vision in nursing home residents, community interventions to promote the annual comprehensive eye exam, vision impairment and driving problems, eye injury, the impact of visual rehabilitation on quality of life and visual performance, nonischemic arteritic optic neuropathy, and Moh’s surgery. Since 2002 the Ophthalmology Clinical Research Unit has facilitated the research projects of over 80 investigators.

Contact Information

Core Director: Cynthia Owsley, MSPH, PhD

Email: owsley@uab.edu

Phone: 205-325-8635

Web site: http://www.eyes.uab.edu/resources/

Approved by: Cynthia Owsley, MSPH, PhD, Core Director

Date: February 22, 2008

Click here to return to the SOM Research Web Site's home page.