Global Alliances

The world of bioscience and medicine has an increasingly global character. Bascom Palmer is working to develop institutional alliances and partnerships that create exciting collaborative opportunities and research synergism through shared expertise and resources.

• United Kingdom. In April 2007, the British Consulate sponsored a visit to the University College of London Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital for three Bascom Palmer representatives. Many collaborative opportunities were identified and in May 2007, a Letter of Intent to partner in research was signed (see press release) at the annual ARVO meeting. In November 2007, the British Consulate sponsored a reciprocal visit for four representatives from the University College of London Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital. A more formal Memorandum of Understanding is now being drawn up, outlining concrete plans for collaborative priorities.
• Singapore. Philip Yeo, chairman of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*Star, Singapore’s NIH equivalent) visited Bascom Palmer in 2005 to explore collaboration. Bascom Palmer made a reciprocal visit to Singapore later in the year, including a tour of the A*Star facilities. Representatives from the Singapore National Eye Center visited Bascom Palmer in 2007 and collaboration is developing on a global epidemiological study to identify risk factors for contact lens-associated fusarium infection.
• India.  In August 2005, the NIH announced the signing of a United States-India Statement of Intent for collaboration on expansion of vision research (see press release). The agreement follows two Indo-U.S. workshops on collaborative research held in that year in India and the United States, arranged by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) with funding through a cooperative agreement with the National Eye Institute (NEI). Twenty U.S. institutions were represented at the workshops, including Bascom Palmer. Follow-ups have been held yearly at the annual ARVO meeting. Research collaborations at Bascom Palmer have developed from these meetings in the areas of genetics and telemedicine.

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