Iowa Eye Association News Sept, 2002. Series 2, no. 37.

University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

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Faculty News

In November 2001, three members of the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences were installed as president of their respective organizations. Pam Kutschke, CO, director of orthoptic teaching, was installed as president of the American Association of Certified Orthoptists (AACO). AACO is a membership organization with a mission to promote and advance the professional and educational competence of orthoptists. Jean Hill, RN, is this year's president of the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses (ASORN). Thomas A. Weingeist, PhD, MD, is the current president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In addition to the three installed in November, Michael Wall, MD, was selected as president of the International Perimetric Society during the IPS meeting in 2002.

Lee Alward, MD, was appointed department vice-chair in September succeeding Dr. Bill Scott who served in that position for six years. Dr. Alward attended the Barcelona Symposium on Glaucoma 2002 in early February to deliver an invited lecture: "Screening for Glaucoma", and "Insights on the Iridocorneal Angle".

Keith D. Carter, MD, FACS, was one of 18 ophthalmologists selected to participate in the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2002-2003 Leadership Development Program. Dr. Carter has also been appointed as a member of the 22-person search committee to find a new dean for the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.

Karen M. Gehrs, MD, is the Program Director for the Women in Ophthalmology Summer Symposium in Aspen, Colorado, in August 2002.

Sohan Singh Hayreh, MD, PhD, FRCS, DSc, FRC Ophth, will be acknowledged as the honored guest during the opening ceremony of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, in October 2002. Dr. Hayreh has also been notified that he will receive the 2003 Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology for outstanding contributions to visual sciences and ophthalmology. The Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology is presented to an individual in recognition of distinguished scholarly contributions to the clinical practice of ophthalmology.

Tim Johnson, MD, PhD, was presented with an Achievement Award from the American Academy of ophthalmology at the AAO annual meeting in 2001.

Randy H. Kardon, MD, PhD, and Young H. Kwon, MD, PhD, in conjunction with Kestrel Corporation of Albuquerque, NM, have received a two-year, $750,000 phase two Small Business Innovation Research award from the National Eye Institute. This is the second SBIR grant the two have received from the NEI; the first was a phase one grant of $100,000, awarded in 2000. The goal of the project is to develop a diagnostic instrument that will provide images and analysis of spectral properties of the retina.

Ronald V. Keech, MD, has been selected as the first appointee to the William E. Scott Chair for Education in Pediatric Ophthalmology. Dr. Keech has also been appointed the new service director for the Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus Service, replacing Dr. Scott who retired in July 2002.

Andrew G. Lee, MD, spoke at the Royal Hawaiian Eye Meeting in January 2002 and received the best speaker award for the physician program. He won an additional speaker award for the allied health program. Dr. Lee has also been appointed as a board member of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS), and to the editorial board of the American Journal of Ophthalmology. Dr. Lee is also a recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's new Secretariat Award that recognizes special achievements and important contributions to the Academy and to Ophthalmology. He was selected in recognition of his outstanding leadership and service as chair of the Task Force on Aging. As chair, he has furthered the mission of the Task Force on Aging through its interactions with such groups as the American Geriatric Society and has been instrumental in establishing the Committee on Aging. Ophthalmology Review: A Case-Study Approach, edited by Kuldev Singh, William E. Smiddy, and Andrew G. Lee was published in October by Thieme. The book is aimed at medical students, residents, and comprehensive ophthalmologists who have an interest in general ophthalmologic problems. It is a case-driven, basic introduction to clinical problems, evaluation, management and treatment.

In January 2002, Pat Mason, executive director of the Iowa Lions Eye Bank, was awarded the Lions International Leadership Award, the third highest award given by Lions Clubs International.

Robert F. Mullins, PhD, has received a $29,000 one-year grant from the Knights Templar Foundation to fund research into the cell biology of Best's Disease, and early onset, inherited macular dystrophy with similarities to age-related macular degeneration.

Jeffrey A. Nerad, MD, was elected an At-Large Member of the Faculty Practice Plan Board, the governing body for the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine Faculty.

Stephen R. Russell, MD, served on the Orbis Mission to Changsha Province in China in January 2002.

Edwin M. Stone, MD, PhD, was named as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator (see accompanying story). Dr. Stone and Val C. Sheffield, MD, PhD, (professor of pediatrics) were named as one of the five first recipients of the Carver Research Programs of Excellence grants. The Programs of Excellence are funded as part of a grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust of Muscatine. Sheffield and Stone are investigating how different genetic defects result in blindness and vision impairment. They are also researching new approaches to prevention and treatment of macular degeneration and glaucoma. As one of the programs selected, Drs. Stone and Sheffield will receive $200,000 in annual support from the Carver Charitable Trust for the next five years.

John Sutphin, MD, made return trips to Haiti in January and March 2002. In January, he operated at the Hospital D' Benefasiance, Pignon, Haiti, for a week. He then went to the University of Haiti Hospital as a guest of the Chairman of Ophthalmology, Jean Claude Cadet, MD, and Yuri Zelenski, MD, of the KBM to lecture and operate with their residents for two days. Dr. Sutphin anticipates returning to Haiti next year to lend his assistance in training residents in cataract surgery and corneal transplantation. In March, he returned to the Haitian American Friendship Foundation (HAFF) Mission School, Bohoc, Haiti, under the auspices of the HAFF based in Florida.

Liz Bulgarelli, RN, nurse in ophthalmology, has received a Mary Jo Small Fellowship Award to help fund her trip in January 2003 to Haiti. While there, she will be helping with cataract surgery and lending her assistance to other tasks as needed.

Michael D. Wagoner, MD, joins Dr. Lee Alward and Dr. Andy Lee on the editorial Board of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.