The Eye Institute and its research laboratories opened in 1976. Investigative research and graduate training are carried out by full-time members of the clinical and basic science research faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin. These research projects are partially conducted in the Eye Institute and some are in collaboration with other research faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Eye Research Laboratories
The seventh and eighth floors of the Eye Institute house the eye research laboratories. Shortly after the Eye Institute building was constructed, the eighth floor laboratories were completed with the generous support of the Peters Foundation, which also allowed the Department of Ophthalmology to secure a Construction and Renovation Grant from the National Institutes of Health. In 2003, with the support of many donors and a second NIH construction grant, research space was expanded to encompass the seventh floor, and the eighth floor laboratories were also fully updated and modernized as part of the project. Investigators Drs. Janice M. Burke, Joe Carroll, and William J. O'Brien conduct research in the Eye Institute laboratories. Laboratory space is also designated for four Modules of a National Eye Institute-supported Core Grant for Vision Research. The Modules provide shared-use equipment and technical support to vision scientists throughout MCW in Cell Culture, Morphology, Image Analysis and Biochemistry/Molecular Biology. In conjunction with the laboratories are a conference room, kitchen, copying and mail center, and office space for personnel. Working in the Eye Institute laboratories are more than 20 scientists, research fellows, graduate students, medical students and technicians, as well as grants management and desktop publishing specialists.