The Oakland University Board of Trustees approved Frank Giblin as the new director for Oakland University’s Eye Research Institute after serving as interim director since 2002. 

“Dr. Giblin is an outstanding scientist who will continue to build upon the ERI’s 35-year history of research into the underlying causes of eye diseases that result in blindness and loss of vision,” said Virinder Moudgil, vice president for Academic Affairs and provost.

Giblin’s research is focused on oxidative mechanisms involved in the formation of cataracts. He has authored more than 84 publications in highly regarded journals and has presented invited lectures nationally and at international scientific forums.

A member of the ERI research team since 1974, Giblin has obtained research grants and awards in excess of $6.4 million from institutions that include the National Eye Institute, Alcon Laboratories Inc., the American Health Assistance Foundation, Shojin Research Associates and Oakland University. Most recently, he won a NASA grant for his project, “Protection Against UV and X-ray Cataracts Using Dynamic Light Scattering as a Marker.” 

Prior to coming to Oakland University, Giblin was a post-doctoral fellow at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he also served as a teaching assistant while completing his Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1973.

Other items on the agenda approved by the Board of Trustees:

• Approval of the consent agenda:
• Approval of the minutes of the formal meeting of Oct. 6, 2004
• Approval of university personnel actions
• Approval of recommendation of final undergraduate and graduate school reports dated Aug. 18, 2004
• Recommendation to accept gifts to Oakland University and the Oakland University Foundation for the period of Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 2004, and to accept grants and contracts to Oakland University for the period of Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 2004
• Approval of fiscal year 2005-2006 operating budget request for submission to the Department of Management and Budget of the state of Michigan
• Approval of Oakland University fiscal year 2006 five-year capital outlay budget request
• Approval of Meadow Brook Subdivision financing guarantee
• Approval of the Golf and Learning Center operating budget for fiscal years ending Dec. 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007
• Approval of equipment installment purchase agreement for golf carts
• Approval of authorization to continue contracting electrical supply from an alternative supplier
• Approval of the business plan and ancillary activities operating budgets for Meadow Brook Hall for fiscal years ending June 30, 2005 and 2006