About
OUR VISION
The Comparative Ophthalmology & Vision Science Laboratory (COVSL) strives to be a world leading center in translational comparative ophthalmology research.
OUR MISSION
To identify novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases in animal and human patients.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
The COVSL lab is highly collaborative, mission driven, technique agnostic, and team oriented. The lab has 4 experienced principal investigators (PIs) that operate in full cooperation with each other. There are no boundaries between the PIs in terms of space, instrumentation, or management responsibilities and all personnel are shared. The great majority of projects have at least 2 PIs associated with them with a single PI typically having a lead position. For all trainees at the masters, PhD and postdoc level, leadership and co-investigator positions are identified within projects.
Collaboration: We have a large number of collaborators in multiple departments and schools on campus with the majority residing within the Schools of Veterinary Medicine, Medicine, and Engineering. Additionally, we have numerous collaborative ties with other labs nationally and internationally.
Mission Driven: We focus on translational research, setting ambitious timelines for completing all projects.
Technique agnostic: We focus on the importance of the questions being asked and incorporate appropriate methods needed to address them. If expertise is needed that is not resident in the lab we integrate external collaborators, outsource training of lab members, or hire in individuals with the needed expertise.
Team Oriented: No one works in isolation. All individual projects are supported by a team assembled specifically formed to accomplish the mission in a timely manner. A highly skilled team of technicians and undergraduates are assigned to facilitate projects led by post-docs and grad students.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: We are an anti-racist lab. Discrimination based on race, sex, gender, age, sexual orientation, or creed will not be tolerated. We celebrate diverse ideas, customs, science and people.
We have a hierarchical reporting structure wherein, a leader is identified. The core operating principle of the COVSL lab is “Team Science”.
EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
We are fully functional and equipped for cellular and molecular biology:
- Primary cell cultures – cornea, retinal pigmented epithelium and trabecular meshwork
- Diverse cell lines
- Atomic force microscopy
- 3 dedicated biosafety cabinets
- Neon electroporation transfection system
- Gene expression analysis (Western blotting, quantitative PCR)
- Inverted fluorescence microscopy
- Immunofluorescence (tissue and cell-based)
- Fabrication of nanotopographic surfaces and variable compliance substrates
- Contact angle goniometer
- AAALAC accredited microsurgical suite equipped with excimer laser
- Advanced ocular imaging suite
- Rodent and large animal fundus imaging systems
- Digital slit lamp biomicroscopy
- Multiple optical coherence tomography units
- Multiple in vivo confocal microscopy units
- Anterior segment tomography
- Electroretinography