VIsion Science Training in Atlanta (VISTA) T32 Program

VISTA is an interdisciplinary pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training program that serves the Atlanta Vision Research Community (AVRC). The goal of VISTA is to deliver a comprehensive, translational training program focused on development, health, and disease of the visual system, thereby training the next generation of leaders in vision research.

The program is “housed” within the Department of Ophthalmology at Emory University and leverages our long-standing relationships and collaborations in research and education across the AVRC.

VISTA has been funded for 35+ years and supported more than 90 trainees. The program supports 3 pre-doctoral and 1 post-doctoral trainees across five PhD programs: Emory Neuroscience, Georgia Tech-Emory joint Biomedical Engineering (BME), Georgia Tech Bioengineering, Emory Psychology, and Georgia Tech Chemistry.

The main areas of interest include AI and computational neuroscience, higher order visual processing, engineering, molecular biology and genetics, ocular physiology, neural circuits, visual environment, and treatment strategies to treat ocular disease.

Our program is designed so that our trainees attain proficiency in advanced research techniques and have an understanding of the impact of vision impairment on health and quality of life. They are guided to conduct innovative research into disease pathophysiology and, more importantly, to develop robust interventions and treatments for ocular disease across diverse populations. As our trainees graduate, our aspiration is for them to be trailblazers in vision research.

The training elements of the program include

  • Biology of the Eye Course,

  • weekly data sharing sessions,

  • monthly vision research seminars,

  • professional development, and

  • a trainee group (Society for Emerging Eye Researchers-SEERs).

Goal: To provide vision science training across multiple disciplines in the Atlanta area to develop the next generation of vision scientists that will create innovative solutions to ameliorate visual impairment.