爱尔眼科研究所于2015年在湖南长沙成立，秉承“创新驱动，科技爱尔”的宗旨，专注眼科主要致盲眼病发病机理及应用基础研究。以解决来自眼科临床的科学问题反哺临床为目标，助力临床学科发展，实现科研促进临床整体水平提升的良性循环，同时为培养眼科高水平人才提供先进的研究平台。

Aier Eye Institute (AEI) was established as an independent legal entity in Changsha, Hunan Province in 2015. We uphold the mission of “Innovation Driven for a Technology and Evergreen Aier”, and focus on basic science research and translational medicine of eye diseases. We aim to improve clinical practice by solving scientific problems arising from the clinic. AEI is dedicated to providing high-quality eye care by creating a virtuous circle of the development of clinical disciplines driven by scientific research, and by offering a state-of-the-art research platform for gathering and cultivating elites in ophthalmology.

2015-2023期间，在创始所长、国家杰出青年基金获得者——唐仕波教授的带领下，在首席科学顾问杨雄里院士、名誉所长苏国辉院士、彭智培教授的指导下，研究所进行了开拓性的眼科基础研究工作，建立了中心实验室、爱尔眼科生物样本库及实验动物中心。唐教授为眼科基础研究的开展打下了坚实基础。

From 2015 to 2023, under the leadership of Professor Shibo Tang, the founding director, the winner of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, with the guidance of Academician Xiongli Yang, the Chief Advisor of the Education and Technology Development Committee of Aier Group, Academician Kwok-Fai So and Professor Calvin Chipui Pang, the honorary director of the AEI, the institute conducted pioneering basic science research in ophthalmology, and set up the Central laboratory, the AIER Eye Biobank and AIER Laboratory Animal Resources Center. Professor Tang has laid a solid foundation for basic science research for ophthalmology researchers.

2023年12月，国际著名的眼免疫学家、英国贝尔法斯特女王大学终身教授——徐和平教授出任新一任爱尔眼科研究所所长，引领这一眼科创新平台向世界一流水平迈进。我们将以突破致盲性眼病的发病机制为己任，致力于创新成果转化，最终为疾病的治疗提供新的策略及疗法，促进眼科临床医疗的发展。我们将全力打造眼科基础研究卓越创新中心，聚焦于致盲性眼病相关的分子和细胞生物学、免疫学、干细胞研究、遗传眼病、基因编辑/基因治疗、创新药物研发、生物材料及药物递送等研究，提供国际一流的实验平台及独特的眼病资源，推动从基础到转化的战略性、前瞻性研究，努力为我国乃至世界眼科学与视觉科学的发展做出贡献。

Aiming to create a world-class ophthalmology innovation platform, the internationally renowned ocular immunologist and tenured professor at Queen's University Belfast, UK, Professor Heping Xu was appointed as the Director of AEI in December 2023. We are committed to research excellence in ophthalmology by making breakthroughs in the mechanisms of eye disease, which we will translate to innovative therapeutics to improve patient eyecare. We are an international hub of excellence on eye diseases with a core emphasis on molecular and cell biology, immunology, stem cell research, genetics and gene editing, drug discovery, material science/drug delivery, etc. We provide world-class core facilities and unique resources to support ophthalmic research. We are devoted to making fundamental, strategic, and forward-looking impacts on the innovation of ophthalmology and strive to contribute to the development of ophthalmology and visual science in China and the world.