About
Understanding retinal function and disease
The Retina and Optic Nerve Research Laboratory fosters strong collaborations in retina and optic nerve research by allowing researchers to interact in a shared research space. Along with trainees and technical support personnel, the lab brings together six independent researchers and their labs:
Shared facilities for confocal microscopy, electrophysiology, molecular biology and immunohistochemistry expand the synergistic interactions of the individual investigators and strengthen the product of the laboratory in terms of understanding retinal function and disease and in training new investigators to help achieve these goals.
Dalhousie’s commitment of support
The Retina Lab opened in the fall of 1998 on the top floor of the Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building at Dalhousie Medical School in Halifax. Dalhousie showed its commitment to supporting retinal research with a $1.7 million expenditure for the renovations of the new laboratory space and the basic items of equipment that the group required to get started.
Dalhousie also recruited two retinal neurobiologists (Baldridge and Barnes) to join basic science (Chauhan, Tremblay and Kelly) and clinical (Robitaille) investigators already at Dal. With the membership of the group representing three basic science departments (Medical Neuroscience, Pharmacology, and Physiology & Biophysics) and one clinical department (Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences), the full ramifications of multidisciplinary, synergistic, bench-to-bedside research in retinal problems is being realized.