# Summer Vision Sciences Training Program

> **NIH NIH T35** · UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE · 2022 · $35,777

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
This is a renewal application for a T35 summer medical student training program in vision research with
two Specific Aims: 1) To provide hands-on training in basic and clinical vision research to medical
students in a structured mentored environment and 2) To provide an interactive, educational experience
that introduces medical students the fundamental skills necessary for basic, translational, and clinical
research in vision biology. The co-directors of this program request support for 8 second-year medical
students each summer in vision related research laboratories that focus on topics such as visual
circuitry, retinal degeneration, corneal epithelial homeostasis, uveitis, ocular drug discovery, and
development of the visual system. Trainees will be selected from the first-year class at University of
Louisville School of Medicine. Students will review research projects submitted by 18 faculty funded by
the NEI or vision related foundations. The directors will make a special effort to recruit students who are
underrepresented in science, including females, ethnic minorities and from disadvantaged
backgrounds. Students will review the available projects and rank their 1st-5th choices, allowing matching
of trainees with mentors. Final decisions will be made based on interviews between mentors and
Trainees. During the 10-week summer training, students work with mentors on their research project in
laboratory settings, complete training in the Responsible Conduct of Research including topics such as
fabrication and falsification of data, plagiarism, managing scientific data, publication practices and
responsible authorship, mentorship, stewardship, and conflict of interest. Trainees will complete human
subject, IRB training, and animal care and handling as required by their specific research projects. All
Trainees will attend a 2-hour weekly “Vision Sciences Research Training Seminar” designed to
introduce clinical/translational research in Ophthalmology led by mentors in this T35 program. The
seminar series will culminate with each Trainee presenting his/her research project to peers and
mentors. In addition, trainees present the results of their research as posters with peers at a School of
Medicine-wide, week-long celebration of research (Research!Louisville) that includes nationally
recognized physician-scientists as keynote speakers. Trainees will be encouraged to continue research
as part of the Distinction in Research track that is an enrichment program focusing on providing
meaningful and productive research experiences throughout second through fourth years of medical
school, with ongoing presentations by students with mentors and 4+ weeks of research time in the
fourth year toward the goal of developing clinician-researchers. Trainees will be tracked to assess the
impact of this T35 program on careers as physician-scientists.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10410169
- **Project number:** 2T35EY026509-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
- **Principal Investigator:** BRIAN P. CERESA
- **Activity code:** T35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $35,777
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10410169

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10410169, Summer Vision Sciences Training Program (2T35EY026509-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10410169. Licensed CC0.

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