Students have "eye" for research

Four biology majors presented their eye research this past month at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Since 2007, biology professor John Ubels and physics and astronomy professor Loren Haarsma have teamed with student researchers on research into the health of the cornea. Their work--which explores the role of high potassium levels in tears and how those high potassium levels might help protect the cornea from ultraviolet radiation--is funded by a grant of more than $500,000 from the National Eye Institute, awarded in April of 2007. They are also developing methods for preclinical testing of multipurpose contact lens solutions with a grant funded by Alcon. Both of these projects have implications for treatment of dry eye syndrome.

Calvin senior Ben Konynenbelt and 2010 graduates Susan Bardolph, Dan Mlnarik and Leah Koetje are the latest students to benefit from this innovative research opportunity.

The students recently presented their research at the ARVO annual meeting, which attracted more than 10,000 people and is considered the most important ophthalmology and basic vision research meeting in the world.

Koetje and Bardolph's work, presented at last year's ARVO meeting, has since been published in the journal, "Experimental Eye Research."

Konynenbelt is the recipient of the west Michigan Optometric Scholarship. 2010 graduates Bardolph, Mlnarik, and Koetje will be attending the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University; the Illinois College of Optometry and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, respectively.

For more info on their research, contact John Ubels at 616-526-6219.

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Received on Tue Jun 29 10:06:54 2010