After obtaining a temporary license from the Ministry of Health, the Ocular Tissue Engineering Research Center (OTERC) was established in May 2013. With increasing research activities and organizing cutting-edge research projects in this center, finally, in December 2015, a definitive license was granted by the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education for the OTERC. Based on the strategic programs of the Ophthalmic Research Center, the most important research fields in the OTERC have been regenerative medicine and constructing platforms required for gene therapy in ophthalmology. These research projects have been carried out in collaboration with the Faculty of Modern Technologies at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, National Research Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Blood Transfusion Center, Royan Research Institute, Amir Kabir and Khajeh Nasir Universities of Technology, Veterinary and Pharmacy Faculties of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, the Faculty of Chemistry of Islamic Azad University, Harvard University, University of Wisconsin, and Geneva Medical School.