Lions Club International Foundation Grant Awarded to Vision Scientists

Dr. Robert Lausch makes a presentation announcing a grant from the Lions Club International Foundation on Aug. 28.

Drs. Robert Lausch and Robert Barrington, members of the USA Department of Microbiology and Immunology, received a $50,000 grant from the Lions Club International Foundation to help purchase an X-Rad 320 Biological Irradiator.

This state-of-the-art instrument will be used in experiments designed to evaluate the role of lymphocyte subsets in virus infections of the eye.

"We are conducting basic research using an experimental model that mimics human corneal infection," Dr. Lausch said. "Different lymphocyte subsets have different activities, and their action can help resolve inflammation or make it worse. The overall goal is to identify, via cell transfer studies, therapeutic and vaccine targets useful in treating and/or preventing ocular disease. What's really neat is that we are able to label cells with a fluorescent dye and monitor where
they go after transfer into an infected host."

Additional funding for the $167,000 X-irradiator was provided by the Lions/USA Eye Research Institute, the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute, and the USA College of Medicine. The new instrument will also be available for use in research projects by other medical investigators.