ABSTRACT Overall The objective of the Core Grant for Vision Research is to provide support and facilities, which are not available and cannot be obtained through individual grants, exclusively for vision research and NEI-funded projects at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). The Core also provides space, support personnel and equipment support to facilitate state-of-the-art vision research and collaborations among vision research laboratories in the College. The Vision Research Core at BCM currently has 24 vision research investigators, carrying 19 eligible NEI RO1s, 1 NEI DP2, 1 NEI R21, 2 NEI T32s, 1 NEI U24 and 7 NIH RO1s from other NIH institutes, and their research areas cover the structure, function and pathogenesis of the entire visual system, from the cornea and lens to the retina and to the central visual centers. Their research disciplines include biochemistry, molecular genetics, electrophysiology, genomic/bioinformatic analysis, psychophysics, computational visual neuroscience and developmental biology. These investigators form a vibrant and highly interactive vision research group, and have published more than 360 papers in the past 5 years, which have benefited from the usage of this Vision Core. In this competing renewal application, we report our highly successful and productive past usage of Core facilities, and seek continued support for four Resource/Service Modules: the Microscopy, Digital Imaging and Histology Module, the Instrumentation Module, the Small Animal Visual System Analysis Module and the Genomics and Bioinformatics Module. These modules contain equipment worth over $7M purchased with Department of Ophthalmology and College funds. The Specific Aims of the Vision Core are: (1) To provide scanning confocal microscope and electron microscope services for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of tissues and cells labeled with fluorescent dyes and for ultrastructural analysis of ocular and neural tissues, and to provide histological facilities, services and training for both confocal and electron microscopy. (2) To provide in-house, custom-designed machine, electronic, optics and computer services to the Vision Core investigators who need special apparatuses that are not commercially available. (3) To provide access to structural, physiological, biochemical, and behavior testing facilities, such as OCT, ERG, patch clamp recording, water-maze, HPLC, mass spectrometry and OKR, to study mouse, rat and rabbit visual system function, dysfunction, and structural/genetic defects. (4) To provide state-of-the-art genomic technologies and critical bioinformatics support to Vision Core labs by leveraging the expertise, technologies, and resources of the BCM Human Genome Sequencing Center. (5) To foster interactions and collaborations among various vision research groups at BCM through shared use and training of Core facilities. (6) To provide a rich and vibrant research environment to recruit and retain outstanding vision resear...