Research Resources

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is dedicated to providing researchers with the support they need to conduct excellent research. With a wide array of resources at your disposal, including tools, documents, and expert contacts, we’re committed to empowering your research endeavors. Whether you’re exploring innovative treatments, unraveling the complexities of eye diseases, or advancing technologies in vision care, we’re here to assist you.

DOVS Research Administration

Christina Thomas-Virnig

Position title: Director of DOVS Translational Research

Email: clthoma1@wisc.edu

Inna Larsen

Position title: Multi-Functional Research Administrator

Email: ivlarsen@wisc.edu

Vaqar Adhami, PhD

Position title: Multi-Functional Research Administrator

Email: vmadhami@wisc.edu

Grant Proposal Submission

Please use the Grant Proposal Submission Form to initiate the process. This form will ask for basic information that will assist Vaqar and Inna with the creation of the budget, WISPER, and/or Cayuse record, or any other forms required by the sponsor. Please have the form submitted at least 10 business days prior to the due date to provide enough time for SMPH and RSP to approve the proposal.

Grant Proposal Submission Form

Faculty Award Opportunities

This information is intended to serve as a resource for Department Chairs and faculty by listing various internal and external Award opportunities. The Award opportunities listed here are not intended to be an exhaustive list but are Awards that the Dean’s office views as high value opportunities.

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Biostatistical Consulting

Biostatistical analysis enhances the robustness of research findings and should be employed for all types of research studies, including, but not limited to, basic, clinical, and population studies. Statistical consultation is especially valuable during the planning stage of a research study or a proposal for extramural funding. Powered studies are also now a requirement for both IRB applications and internal applications for gift funds appropriated through Funds Distribution Committee. The appropriate analyses provide a level of integrity and validity to research that strengthens the resulting findings enabling their acceptance by the biomedical community. DOVS offers two methods of biostatistical consulting. For further details, please contact our in-house biostatistician, Kyle Peterson, PhD.

Contact Kyle Peterson, PhD

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DOVS Core Biostatistician

The UW-Madison Vision Research Core is funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) and provides several services including biostatistics & epidemiology (BERC – Biostatistics and Epidemiology Resource Core). With additional support from the department, assistance currently is available at no cost for all faculty and learners. These individuals should contact the biostatistician early on in the process of developing an idea or project design.

Services Provided:

  • Research Planning
  • Provide assistance with both study design and sample size/power calculations.
  • Data Analysis: Provide assistance with a particular analysis or choosing the right method for your study including but not limited to linear/logistic regression models, time series models, ANOVA/ANCOVA models, survival analysis and RNA-seq data analysis.
  • Results Preparation and Presentation: Provide help with graph and table construction, results interpretation and the reporting of the used methods.
  • Consulting Services: Provide consultation on statistical concepts (what is a p-value again?), methods (will a logistic regression be the right method for this situation?) or advanced analysis ideas.

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Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR)

Services through ICTR are provided by the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics (BMI). It is the policy of the Department of BMI that a request for biostatistics consultation must be made at least (3) weeks in advance of any grant, abstract, poster, or analysis deadline. For large grant submissions, like an R01, at least four (4) weeks’ notice is preferred.

Services Provided: 

Consultation/collaboration in the planning, design, conduct, and analysis of clinical/translational research.

The initial consultation is free of charge. Fees may be project dependent. Please inquire upon consultation whether fees will be incurred for your project.

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DOVS Funding Resources and Funds Distribution Committee

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Funds Distribution Committee

The Funds Distribution Committee (FDC) provides recommendations to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (DOVS) Chair regarding distribution of awarded and garnered funds from the UW Foundation, WARF, SMPH, and outside donations provided to the Department. Since its inception in 2016, FDC has awarded more than $844,000, including $300,000 in support from the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin. Funds support medical student and resident research projects, international training opportunities, and faculty research and equipment. There are also designated funds for research in AMD, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cornea research. FDC documents can be found on the intranet and more information can be found below.

Unless otherwise indicated, deadlines for submission to the FDC are two weeks prior to each meeting. Specific deadlines can be found on the intranet. From time to time other funding opportunities may occur that do not

adhere to FDC deadlines. In this event, an email announcing specifics for the funding opportunity will be sent to all faculty, staff and learners.

Please note that specific travel funds for fellows are available through each fellowship specialty. Contact the fellowship advisor for more information.

In general, faculty should realize that these mechanisms can support one student researcher per faculty member per year, so mentors should prioritize requests for student research funding support.

Completed applications for any of the opportunities listed above should be emailed to Kristin Larson, external relations coordinator, unless otherwise indicated in the application instructions.

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Learner Research Travel Grant Competition Request

Each year, the department offers travel funding for medical students and residents to present at conferences, $500 with a matching amount coming from the faculty mentor. Deadlines for these requests are January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1. For more information, please see the instructions provided.

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Graduate Student/Post Doctorate Research Travel Form

Use this form provided in the document library for graduate and post-doctoral students to apply for SMPH Mission Aligned Management and Allocation (MAMA) travel funds. There is an application period for these funds, generally in late fall.

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Research Project and Equipment Purchases

All request forms are available in the ophth document library (ODL) on the DOVS intranet, under the Funds Distribution Committee category. Use this form to request funds for research projects involving faculty or learners and/or equipment purchases.

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Support for Medical and Undergraduate Student Research

Please read over Support for Medical Student Research, which can be found on the DOVS intranet and explains various funding opportunities. Please note that it is expected that any faculty member wishing to mentor a medical student research project should provide supporting funds from their own resources. If matching funds by a faculty member are not available, DOVS mentors may seek matching funds using several mechanisms.

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Resources

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Practical Resources for the Research Process

Researcher Toolkit
The Researcher Toolkit is a resource for UW-Madison faculty, staff, and student researchers that points to helpful resources for each phase of your research project.

Research Data Services (RDS)
Research Data Services (RDS) is a free resource for anyone on the UW-Madison campus that provides consultations, best practice information, and education and training on research data management and sharing.

SMPH Department of Medicine Introduction to Research Course
The Department of Medicine (DOM) offers an “Introduction to Research” course for faculty. The course has been offered on an annual basis and provides information on research program development and logistics.

RAMP – Research Administration Management Portal
RAMP is a comprehensive research administration system that supports the entire research lifecycle, from proposal development and submission to award management and closeout.

Outside Activities Disclosure
Outside Activities Disclosure needs to be filled out annually by all UW faculty.

Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP)
The RSP page has guidance on routing and the award lifecycle.

RSP – Effort Reporting and Certification
Information for Effort Reporting through the Employee Compensation Compliance System (ECC).

RSP – Frequently Needed Data
RSP’s Frequently Needed Data has relevant information for your research needs.

RSP Rates
RSP Rate Page has a list of F&A and Fringe Benefit Rates.

Training Opportunities
Training opportunities for working in RAMP are offered on a regular basis by Research and Sponsored Programs and through the Graduate School Seminar Series.

New Faculty Guide to Competing for Research Funding
While this book is written with new faculty in mind, the content provides information useful to research administrators. To locate, go to the External Resources dropdown and click on “New Faculty Guide to Competing for Research Funding.”

The Art of Grantsmanship
Guidelines on preparing grant applications from the moment of conception to submitting the final proposal.

UW Writing Center Grant Writing Handbook
Helpful aid on grant writing from the UW Writing Center.

UW SMPH: Building Research Skills
UW SMPH research-related resources to help faculty and staff navigate institutional policies and procedures, find required or recommended trainings, locate opportunities for funding, and learn about research managements.

UW SMPH: MATRIX Mentoring Program
Mentoring to Achieve Research Independence (MATRIX) is an intensive 9-month mentoring program coordinated by the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) and designed to help faculty members (mentees) successfully land their first National Institute of Health (NIH) R01 Research Project Grant or equivalent.

Policy on the Tangible Research Property
Document that outlines the University’s policy on the ownership, access and distribution of tangible research property.

PI Obligations Under Research
Outlines the responsibilities of PIs to rights of invention/intellectual property.

PI Portal
This is a dashboard for all your research administration, compliance, and training information (Click Access the PI Portal on the right)

medRAMP Research AdMinistration and Proposal Development Services
Biotechnology and Graduate Studies has created this service to assist with the planning, development, and administration of competitive grant proposals.

Funding Sources Acknowledgement Tool
A tool to acknowledge RPB and Vision Core grants.

Compliance, Protocol, and Safety-Related Training Requirements
A comprehensive list from UW Madison of all trainings for PIs and all staff on protocols.

Extramural Federal Funding Resources

Centers for Disease Control
Centers for Disease Control has many research funding opportunities available.

Electronic Research Admin (ERA)
ERA is the Office of Extramural Research that has infrastructure to manage grants awarded by NIH.

ERA Commons Login
The login should be used to access NIH grants.

National Eye Institute
The National Eye Institute houses a large number of links on grants and funding.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
As America’s medical research agency, NIH supports research discoveries.

NIH and Federal Grant Links
Grants.gov is the U.S. government’s central website for funding opportunities through federal agencies.

NSF Proposals 
Research.gov is used in the preparation of NSF proposals.

NIH Funding
NIH Guide Funding Opportunities and Notices is an overview of NIH funding.

About NIH Grants 
Here is a guide from NIH that explains their grants and contracts.

SF424
SF424 is an electronic application guide for NIH grants.

398 Forms
398 forms and instructions for new grant applications can be found as paper copies of the instructions for NIH grants. It can be downloaded from this page.

Office of Extramural Support (OER)
The NIH OER has a great deal of information about grants, policy, and compliance.

Progress Reports 
For Progress reports use the RPPR system. There are no paper forms for this process.

NIH RePORTER 
NIH RePORTER is a query form to find the researcher or project you are looking for.

NIH Study Sections
The CSR Study Section Roster explains how applications are reviewed.

NIH Frequently Used Links
For more questions about NIH, reference this page of useful NIH Links.

VA Office of Research
For information on research opportunities with William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, call (608) 280-7007 and ask for Dr. Nasia Safdar.

Infographic – Resources and Programs for NIH Grant Applicants
The NIH information presented in this infographic was compiled through collaboration among a panel of sponsored research offices and principal investigators, and it was curated and approved by the Center for Scientific Review before dissemination to UW-Madison and other applicant institutions.

Extramural Non-Federal Funding Resources

American Academy of Optometry
American Academy of Optometry supports optometric research and education to improve clinical patient care.

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
ARVO has research awards, grants, and fellowships.

BrightFocus Foundation
BrightFocus funds exceptional scientific research worldwide to defeat Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma and provides expert information on these heartbreaking diseases.

Fight for Sight
Fight for Sight has supported millions of eye and vision research.

Foundation Fighting Blindness
Foundation Fighting Blindness hosts several research funding opportunities throughout the year.

Glaucoma Foundation
Glaucoma Foundation awards grants to researchers who seek innovative ways to improve the lives of those living with glaucoma.

Glaucoma Research Foundation
Glaucoma Research Foundation invests in research and education to find a cure for glaucoma.

Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS)
IRIS Registry Data Analysis, part of The American Academy of Ophthalmology, is the world’s largest specialty clinical data registry. Four grants are provided each year.

Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB)
RPB funds high-performing departments of ophthalmology in the USA.

Retina Research Foundation
Retina Research Foundation funds a wide variety of scientific research including pilot study grants, ongoing research projects, and lifetime achievement awards.

Intramural Funding Resources

Community Academic Partnership Fund
One of the Wisconsin Partnership Program funds also strives to improve the health of Wisconsinites. Here are three community grants offered: Community Collaboration Grants, Community Impact Grants, and Community Catalyst Grants

Faculty Grant Programs
These programs seek to alleviate issues affecting people in Wisconsin. The three programs that DOVS faculty can participate in are: Collaborative Health Sciences Program, New Investigator Program, and Opportunity Grants Program

Institutional Nominations and Competitions
Institutional nominations and internal competition occur within the Graduate School every year. There are a vast number of grants and programs with various deadlines.

Training Grants
The T32 Vision Research Grant within DOVS is a competitive grant supporting training of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR)
Pilot funding through ICTR includes many award programs.

UW Research Funding
Intramural funding is provided by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education.

Health Innovation Program from UW SMPH
HIP partners UW faculty with organizations to advance health around the country.

Wisconsin Network for Health Research (WINHR)
WINHR is a partnership established to promote statewide research.

Wisconsin Partnership Program
The program seeks to improve the health and lives of people all over Wisconsin by investing in research, education, and community partnerships.

DOVS Resources

Clinical Eye Research Unit (CERU)
CERU, our primary clinical research team, collaborates on eye-related studies, including clinical trials initiated across UW–Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health, extending to UW Hospital and Carbone Cancer Center.

Wisconsin Reading Center (WRC)
Wisconsin Reading Center (WRC), previously the Fundus Photograph Reading Center (FPRC), our core image reading lab specializes in diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, uveitis, and various ophthalmic diseases. Founded on enduring principles of intellectual honesty, quality, relevance, innovation, and staff satisfaction, the WRC remains dedicated to advancing eye health research.

A-EYE Research Unit
Our A-EYE (Artificial intelligence/AI) unit uses neural networks to advance research on diseases like diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. They support faculty, optimize clinical trials at the Wisconsin Reading Center, and forge industry partnerships.

Vision Research Core
Vision Research Core provides researchers three distinct service areas: ocular omics/quantitative molecular biology; pathology and imaging; animal models and eye organ culture.

Research Grants Spreadsheet
Our Research Administration maintains a comprehensive and live spreadsheet of grants available to our researchers.

2024 Research Interest Directory
A complete listing of our researchers, collaborators, and affiliates and their respective research specialties from our Biennial Research Retreat.

UW Resources

Cores and Resources
Cores and Resources is a search engine to help UW researchers find research equipment and other services.

Health Sciences Institutional Review Board (HS-IRB)
HS-IRB ensures that protocol is met in regards to research performed on humans.

ICTR Clinical Research Unit (CRU)
Formerly known as GCRC, the CRU performs studies initiated by investigators and industry.

Office of Biological Safety (OBS)
OBS ensures that safe laboratory procedures are followed for biological materials.

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education
UW-Madison’s graduate school is an excellent place to get involved with research and make it your primary focus.

Office of Clinical Trials (OCT)
OCT has support services for clinical trials on a fee-for-service basis.

Public Access Service
Here is a guide to public access to publications requirements.

Policies, Responsibilities, and Procedures
Policies, Responsibilities, and Procedures provides an overview of UW Graduate School guidelines.

Research and Graduate Studies
Research and graduate studies at UW Madison can help you determine your research focus.

School of Medicine and Public Health
DOVS is part of SMPH, seeking new approaches to investigate illnesses.

School of Medicine and Public Health Policy 70.10
Please note that all proposals for include non-exempt Human Subjects must also adhere to the following School of Medicine and Public Health policy.

UW Biotechnology Center
The Biotechnology Center accomplishes services for UW researchers, including providing them with technology and resources.

Wisconsin Discovery Portal
Wisconsin Discovery Portal is an excellent searchable database for all Principal Investigators at UW by topic, including a list of publications

Biomedical Research Model Services (BRMS)
Formerly known as LAR, BRMS offers care for research animals to ensure quality experimental design.

Research Animals Resources Center (RARC)
RARC provides resources for animals used in research activities.

Research Grants

Explore our curated spreadsheet containing a comprehensive list of available grants, providing a valuable resource for researchers seeking funding opportunities.

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Research Directory

Meet our researchers, collaborators, and affiliates by exploring their research specialties in our 2024 Research Interest Directory.

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