During my nine years at Calvin, 26 students have worked with me on my professional research, and 21 of these students are co-authors on 18 publications. Of these students, 24 have gone on to medical, dental, optometry or graduate school.
In my research I study the cornea of the eye and also the lacrimal gland, which produces the tears that continually bathe the surface of the eye. Inadequate production of tears leads to a condition known as dry eye syndrome, a disease that causes itching, burning, and foreign body sensation. In severe cases it is extremely painful and can lead to visual loss due to infection of the cornea. The causes of dry eye syndrome are not well understood, and there is no cure. More than 10 million
Americans suffer from dry eye, and 3 million people, 90% of whom are women, have a severe form of the disease known as Sjogren’s syndrome.
In my laboratory we do basic research on the function of the lacrimal gland and the cells of the ocular surface using the techniques of cell and molecular biology. Most recently we have studied the role of sex hormones and vitamin A in control of lacrimal gland function. We are also involved in the development of artificial tears and drugs for treating dry eye.
To contribute of the search for the causes of this disease, we regularly publish the results of our basic and applied research in the ophthalmology research journals. Our laboratory also has contributed to the recent development and marketing of a new, highly successful artificial tear solution and we have worked on a drug for treatment of dry eye that is currently in phase III clinical trials.
This work could not have been accomplished without the assistance of Calvin students. In addition to the reading and writing that are part of all scholarly work, research in the natural sciences requires time in the laboratory. I believe that at a college like Calvin, where our emphasis is on teaching, students must be involved, whenever possible, in faculty research. Most of the bench work in my lab is done by students, and 21 of them are co-authors on 18 publications.
Calvin College has been very generous is providing release time from formal classroom teaching to allow me to pursue research. Some of this release time has been supported by my research grants, and next year I will have a Calvin Research Fellowship which will allow me to continue working in the lab. I do not, however, consider this release time to be a release from teaching. When I work with the students, our research is an essential part of their education. These highly talented students are gaining hands-on experience in the lab which makes them better prepared for professional and graduate school. Support for Calvin’s sabbatical and research fellowship programs will allow us to continue this important work.

Ubels – statement for Calvin Faculty Endowed Research Fellowships
In my research I study the cornea of the eye and also the lacrimal gland, which produces the tears that continually bathe the surface of the eye and are essential to the health of the cells on the ocular surface. Inadequate production of tears leads to a condition known as dry eye syndrome. This disease causes itching, burning and foreign body sensation. In severe cases it is extremely painful and can lead to visual loss due to infection of the cornea. The causes of dry eye syndrome are not well understood and there is no cure. In my laboratory we do basic research on the function of the lacrimal gland and the cells of the ocular surface using the techniques of cell and molecular biology. Most recently we have studied the role of sex hormones and vitamin A in control of lacrimal gland function. We are also involved in the development of artificial tears and drugs for treating dry eye. A second area of interest in my laboratory is eye toxicology. Traditionally chemicals and household products that may come in contact with the eye have been tested for toxicity using live animals. We are developing a toxicity test that uses bovine corneas from the slaughter house as an alternative to animal use.
More than 10 million Americans suffer from dry eye, and 3 million people, 90% of whom are women, have a severe form of the disease known as Sjogren’s syndrome. To contribute of the search for the causes of this disease we regularly publish the results of our basic and applied research in the ophthalomogy research journals. Our laboratory also has contributed to the recent development and marketing of a new, highly successful artificial tear solution and we have worked on a drug for treatment of dry eye that is currently in phase III clinical trials. Our toxicity assay is being considered by regulatory agencies as an approved alternative method. This work could not have been accomplished without the assistance of
Calvin students. In addition to the reading and writing that are part of all scholarly work, research in the natural sciences requires time in the laboratory. I believe that at a college like
Calvin, where our emphasis is on teaching, students must be involved, whenever possible, in faculty research. Most of the bench work in my lab is done by students. During my 9 years at Calvin 26 students have worked with me, and 21 of these students are co-authors on 18 publications. Of these students, 24 have gone on to medical, dental, optometry or graduate school.
Calvin College has been very generous is providing release time from formal classroom teaching to allow me to pursue research. Some of this release time has been supported by my research grants, however, I am currently enjoying a sabbatical at the Van Andel Research
Institute where I am learning new molecular biology techniques, and next year I will have a
Calvin Research Fellowship which will allow me to continue working in the lab and complete writing projects arising from my sabbatical. I do not, however, consider this release time to be a release from teaching. When I work with the students our research is an essential part of their education. These are highly talented students who may have been accepted for post-graduate education without research experience; however, their hands-on experience in the lab was an essential part of their undergraduate education which made them better prepared for professional and graduate school. Support for Calvin’s sabbatical and research fellowship programs will allow us to continue this important work.