Professor Om Srivastava, PhD, has retired from the UAB School of Optometry after more than three decades of service as a researcher and educator.

Srivastava joined the school in 1993 as an assistant professor, recruited by then-Dean Bradford Wild, OD, PhD, and Graem Wilson, PhD, chair of the Department of Vision Sciences. He arrived with a funded National Institutes of Health R01 grant focused on proteinase inhibitors and crystallin fragments in cataracts, laying the groundwork for a career dedicated to understanding the molecular mechanisms behind age-related and congenital cataracts, as well as keratoconus.

Over the years, Srivastava developed recombinant crystallins in E. coli and created transgenic and knockout mouse models that mimicked human cataract conditions. His team also produced a genetic model for keratoconus, a condition for which no model previously existed. His research was continuously funded by NIH R01 grants for 30 years.

He published 70 peer-reviewed papers, including in journals such as Journal of Biological Chemistry and Biochemistry, and delivered more than 120 presentations at national and international conferences.

Srivastava began teaching the “Physiology of the Eye” course in 1995, a role he held for more than 25 years. He also taught graduate-level courses in ocular anatomy and biology, reaching more than 1,000 optometry students during his tenure.

“I’ve always found joy in introducing new concepts in the lab and sharing knowledge about the eye in the classroom,” Srivastava said. “Seeing students grow and succeed—especially when they remind me years later of something I taught—has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.”

Among his proudest moments, Srivastava mentioned mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, securing NIH funding, and seeing his research published in respected journals.

In retirement, Srivastava leaves a legacy of innovation, mentorship and dedication to the advancement of vision science.