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» ARAVIND MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION |
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The Aravind Eye Research Institute is run by the Aravind Medical Research Foundation (AMRF). AMRF was formed to investigate issues concerned with causes and treatment of various eye diseases and problems related to delivery of eye care. The research activities at Aravind reflect Aravind's commitment to finding new ways to reduce the burden of blindness. The combination of high clinical load, extensive community participation, and access to a large network of eye hospitals provides ideal opportunities for conducting clinical, laboratory, population-based studies and social and health systems research.
Facilities Available:
AMRF has well-equipped ophthalmic research laboratories for studies on Molecular Genetics, Immunology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology of eye diseases.
Recognition for PhD Studies:
The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University has recognized Aravind Eye Hosptial for PhD studies in Genetics, immunology and ophthalmology for medical graduates. Madurai Kamaraj University has recognized AMRF for a PhD programme in biomedical sciences, while LAICO (The Lions Aravind Institute for Community Ophthalmology) has been recognized by IIT Madras in two areas: humanities and social sciences as well as bio-technology.
Beyond Today:
Now with the establishment of Centres of Excellence within Aravind’s specialty clinics, alongside its continued emphasis on academic rigor and its recent thrust on developing comprehensive service delivery models in areas like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and pediatric ophthalmology, as well as its rapid strides in the field of tele-ophthalmology with remote consultations and the creation of a special software for diagnosis and teleconferencing between hospitals Aravind is poised as never before to take on a new challenge.
The Focus:
Aravind is aware that its current position yields enormous opportunities for basic research and as such it feels called upon to initiate the establishment of the Aravind Eye Research Institute along with like-minded partners. The main focus of this institute will not only be on investigating and evaluating the genetic factors of vision robbing diseases like cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinoblastoma (eye cancer) etc but to also engineer against the gene mutations by developing a process to arrest and to rectify, if possible. The estimated cost of this ambitious project is 15 crores. While Aravind has come forward to contribute the physical space for the institute, and will also provide support in terms of infrastructure, staff, equipment and other resources, it is looking now for partners committed to the same cause to come forward and join its efforts by pledging support in any of a number of different ways.
How you can contribute
Areas of Support:
Contributions can be through any of the following means:
- Financial donations (donors contributing above a certain sum will be eligible to fund an entire area of research)
- Research equipment donations
- Deputing and funding visiting scientists and research scholars to the Institute
- Undertaking the finances for one or more research projects
- Undertaking finances for building one floor of the institute
- Undertaking to bear in full or a part of the recurring expenses of the institute etc.
As Aravind prepares to take this bold and necessary venture forward it invites all NGOs, INGOs, governmental bodies, corporate organizations, philanthropists and individuals to join hands in order to make this Institute a truly global collaboration, and to hasten the collective effort to combat needless blindness worldwide.
Scale of Work
In addition to laboratory-based research, the studies carried over here cover a broad spectrum of areas, including:
- Hospital-based randomised clinical trials that evaluate surgical techniques and conduct drug trials
- Community-based randomised clinical trials that study the impact of Vitamin A supplementation on the morbidity and mortality of infants and children; role of antioxidants in cataract prevention
- Population-based surveys: Beneficiary assessment; prevalence surveys; rapid assessment; impact assessment of cataract intervention
- Qualitative research: Using Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) Techniques to ascertain patient's barriers in accessing eye care services in a community; development of quality of life assessment instruments for persons with visual disability
- Health systems research: Operations research to evaluate the effectiveness of community interventions in providing cataract services; assessment of eye care infrastructure utilisation
Research Collaborators:
The University of Iowa,USA.
PHLS Central Public Health Laboratory,London.
Proctor Eye Foundation,USA.
National Eye institute,USA.
Doheny Institute,ISA.
International Centre for Eye Health,London.
Madurai Kamaraj University,India.
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