Research Roundup
Marielle Reidy receives Barr-Stiegemeier Award
Marielle Reidy (OD/MS’19), a PhD student in the vision science graduate program at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Barr-Stiegemeier Award. This award will provide Dr. Reidy with funds to pursue research related to understanding the mechanisms of myopia control treatments, such as multifocal contact lenses, as part of her PhD dissertation project conducted under the mentorship of Don Mutti, OD, PhD. The Barr-Stiegemeier Award was established by Joseph T. Barr (OD’77, MS’79) and Mary Jo Stiegemeier (OD’83) to support the research of graduate students who have specific interest in cornea and contact lens education and knowledge.
Erica Shelton selected to receive Arene T. Wray Fellowship
Erica Shelton (OD/MS’18), a PhD candidate in the vision science graduate program at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Arene T. Wray Fellowship. The Arene T. Wray Fellowship was created to promote optometric research and is specifically designated for graduate students who “can do the best work in optometry.” Dr. Shelton is pursuing her PhD under the mentorship of Dean VanNasdale, OD, PhD, to address vision health disparities through the investigation of population vision health statistics. Dr. Shelton notes that one of her career goals is “to improve public health education for optometrists and to improve vision-related public health programs that help improve the health literacy of the pediatric population.” We congratulate Dr. Shelton on her efforts and, as the winner of this award, she will be recognized with a monetary scholarship.
Dean VanNasdale, OD, PhD, continues his long-standing study with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, Population health assessments of vision impairment and associated co-morbid conditions, under a new $60,000 award. He also continues his work, Development and distribution of BRFSS State-Added Vision Question Analysis, with a new $8,000 grant from Prevent Blindness Ohio.
The Ohio State University College of Optometry awarded faculty member TJ Plageman, PhD the Research Innovations Grant award, sponsored by an endowment from Vision Service Plan. His study, Identifying Shroom3 dependent mechanisms of outer retinal development and retinal dystrophies, will examine the role of Shroom3 in photoreceptor degeneration in retinal dystrophies, such as retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease. He will determine whether Shroom3 promotes normal rod and cone photoreceptor shape and whether the protein Crb1, in turn, directs Shroom3 function. Both proteins are active in the same area of the retina and abnormal Crb1 and Shroom3 proteins lead to similar retinal anomalies, suggesting a functional connection between the two exists.
