Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Mentored Vision Clinician-Scientist Program at OHSU - Project Summary Improving the ability of clinicians to foresee the practical impact of discoveries in basic and clinical research, and the ability of basic scientists to understand critical gaps in patient care, is key to creating new interventions that will reduce the frequency and severity of blindness. This K12 application will continue a highly successful mentored vision clinician-science training program at OHSU. Our first two trainees, Drs. J. Peter Campbell and Travis Redd, have both realized their K12 goals. Establishing a national and international reputation in applying artificial intelligence (AI) and telemedicine to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), Dr. Campbell is now PI on an R01 to continue this work and is co-PI on a second R01 to develop a handheld ultrawide-field optical coherence tomography angiography device to improve early diagnosis of ROP. Dr. Redd has developed international ties to create a database of corneal and microbiologic images of corneal ulcers. He is using this to train AI systems to develop an automated image-based system that can differentiate bacterial from fungal infection better than human experts. He has been awarded a K23 to continue this work. Dr. Aiyin Chen, who is one year into her K12 training program, is a glaucoma specialist transitioning to a clinician-scientist career. She is using informatics and deep-learning to analyze electronic health records to identify systemic risk factors for glaucoma and is submitting a K23 application to continue this work and her training. The university has top programs in clinical ophthalmology and basic visual science. The ophthalmology department has nearly $21 million in direct vision research funding (all sources) in 2022. This is a 122% increase compared to 2017. This K12 program will continue to support one trainee at a time, chosen by an Advisory Committee that represents multiple areas of research focus (basic research, imaging, genetics, reading center, clinical trials, informatics), eye institute leadership, and chairs of departmental diversity and faculty development committees. The program will emphasize: (1) individualized research with mentor teams to guide and monitor progress; (2) didactic courses on fundamentals of basic, clinical, and translational vision science and access to courses in the trainee’s chosen field; (3) OHSU and department-sponsored research seminars and highly effective manuscript and grant writing workshops; and (4) Training in the responsible conduct of research and methods for enhancing reproducibility. This program will provide broad exposure to basic sciences and clinical research for trainees with an existing background in clinical ophthalmology and support them to complete a formal curriculum and hands-on research experience needed to lead independent research. This will result in clinician-scientists who are better prepared to translate scientific and technological advances into real progress that improves the lives of patients with vision-threatening disorders.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).