The Vision Research Center of Kansas City

Neuroscience - Vision and Functional Brain Imaging Poster SessionThe Vision Research Center was founded as and is a well established collaboration of several of UMKC schools and Kansas City Medical Centers and thus offers an unprecedented interdisciplinary synergy with a unified goal: to better diagnose, prevent, and treat eye disease and vision disorders through translational research in order to make a difference in the lives of tens of millions of people. To this end, the center conducts federally and industry funded basic, translational and clinical research to develop new medical therapies and offers patient care in all subspecialties of ophthalmology. The center's nationally recognized excellence in research, patient care and medical education contribute to UMKC's strengths in the life sciences. Past, present and future objectives of the Vision Research Center: Provide a direct avenue for basic and translational research in eye and related diseases; Transfer basic science findings seamlessly into practical use with patients trough translational research; Develop new therapy approaches urgently needed by physicians in the US and worldwide; Provide educational excellence; Ensure patients receive the most advanced medical treatments available; Become national center of excellence for eye researc

Integrating academic research, clinical research and private practice: a unique opportunity for translational medicine

Translational Vision and Neuroscience ResearchDegeneration or acute damage of nerve cells in the retina due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are the major causes of visual loss and blindness in the United States and worldwide. The determination of the function and effectiveness of new neuroprotective drugs and surgical treatment options has the potential to produce therapy approaches for these chronic degenerative diseases of the eye that focuses on the nerve cells of the retina and that has the potential to be both preventative and therapeutic in nature. With the formation of the new interdisciplinary Vision Research Center Kansas City is well on its way to becoming a national center for eye research where these ocular diseases and others are being researched to develop new therapy approaches urgently needed by physicians in the US and worldwide, transferring basic science findings seamlessly into practical use with patients