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UIC Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
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Fall 2018
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PUBLICATIONS
To learn more about our faculty and their work, check out our annual report!
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Dear Faculty, Staff, Alumni and Colleagues,
The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UIC has been productive these past several months. I am pleased to share with you our many updates and achievements, as well as my gratitude for your commitment to innovative research and exceptional patient care. From my family to yours, wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season, and a fruitful new year!
Mark Rosenblatt, MD, PhD, MBA
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As a preeminent physician, educator and leader in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Marilyn T. Miller, MD '59, MS '66 has affected the lives of many individuals over several decades. While pediatric ophthalmology has been Dr. Miller's primary passion, she has also influenced generations of residents and fellows through inspired teaching and an unparalleled expertise in the field of pediatric ophthalmology. We believe that honoring the career, compassion and impactful legacy of Dr. Miller is long overdue. Therefore, the Department has launched a campaign for the Marilyn T. Miller, MD
Endowed Professorship in Ophthalmology. Endowed chairs and professorships allow the tradition of academic excellence and the breakthroughs of mission-driven research at the University of Illinois College of Medicine to continue while creating a unique opportunity to honor an individual's legacy. The Marilyn T. Miller Professorship would be the first female endowed professorship for the Department and only the third female
faculty-named
professorship at the University of Illinois College of Medicine! Dr. Miller would join only a handful of other named female faculty professorships across the country, a true honor and legacy.
We are grateful to those that have already contributed and especially grateful to Kimberlee Curnyn, MD '89 who made a lead gift to the Miller Professorship fund.
If you are interested in making a gift or giving options, please contact Jenna Plakut, Director of Development at (312) 355-1171 or
jplakut@uic.edu.
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New Faculty - Kai Kang, MD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
The Department is pleased to welcome Dr. Kai Kang as a member of the faculty in our world-class Cornea Service! He completed his fellowship in cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery this past July, as well as his ophthalmology residency in 2017, here at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary at UIC. His clinical interests are primarily diseases of the external eye, cornea, ocular surface, and corneal replacement. Dr. Kang is engaged in basic science and translational research on ocular surface stem cells and ocular surface neoplasia.
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Once again, the IEEI faculty held a strong presence at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's (AAO) annual meeting in Chicago. 19 members of our clinical faculty participated as instructors, presenters, moderators, panelists and experts in the field covering almost 40 sessions and events.
We congratulate this year's group of AAO awardees:
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Lifetime Achievement Honor Award
Jennifer I. Lim, MD
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Secretariat Award
Deepak P. Edward, MD
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Achievement Award
Yannek I. Leiderman, MD, PhD
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Achievement Award
Pete Setabutr, MD
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Distinguished Service Award
Directors of Medical Student Education
Pooja Bhat, MD |
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David R. Pepperberg, PhD
Searls-Schenk Professor in Ophthalmology
November 10, 1944 - September 2, 2018
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Audrey Eisenmann and David Pepperberg at the IEEI's 150th Anniversary Gala in June 2008
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It is with tremendous sadness that we relay the passing of Dr. David Pepperberg on Sunday, September 2, 2018.
For over 35 years, Dr. Pepperberg was one of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences' most outstanding faculty. His seminal work on photoreceptor physiology and biology shaped his field and helped bring Dr. Pepperberg and the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary to great prominence in the vision sciences.
Those who have had the pleasure to work with David know that he was the consummate scientist, with a hunger for knowledge and a commitment to scientific rigor, honesty, and greatness that is unparalleled. We also know David as a generous, kind, and loyal human being of the highest quality.
David Pepperberg truly represents the pinnacle of dedication to scientific and personal excellence to which we should aspire.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to David's family, including his wife Audrey Eisenmann. An obituary for Dr. Pepperberg appeared in the Chicago Tribune on September 4, and funeral services were held on September 5 at Weinstein & Piser Funeral home in Wilmette.
"With his careful and seminal work, and his passion for how photoreceptors provide us with vision, David influenced many of us, including me."
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Paul Sieving, MD, PhD
Director, National Eye Institute, NIH
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UIC Receives U.S. Department of Defense Grant to Lead Clinical Trial of Stem Cell Therapy for Eye Injuries
October 3, 2018
UIC receives grant to test the efficacy of a treatment for eye injuries.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have received a four-year, $5.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to lead a multi-site clinical trial to test the efficacy of a stem cell-based treatment for eye injuries.
The treatment uses mesenchymal stem cells - cells that can differentiate into fat, bone or cartilage, but which also produce an abundance of anti-inflammatory factors that have been shown to speed healing and reduce scaring in experimental models of eye injury.
"We have been studying the healing properties of mesenchymal stem cells in the eye with funding from the Department of Defense for the last five years," said Dr. Ali Djalilian, professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences in the UIC College of Medicine and principal investigator on the grant. "We have seen that these cells, when applied to the surface of the eye, can play a significant supportive role in healing and promoting healing in such a way as to reduce scarring. We are looking forward to clinical trials of these cells in humans."
Injuries to the eye, while not necessarily life-threatening, can cause blindness and radically downgrade quality of life. Thermal burns from explosions and chemical burns to the eye are among the most common injuries to service members in combat, but injuries and non-healing wounds of the cornea - the clear outer layer of the eye - are common among civilians, as well.
Djalilian, together with the co-principal investigator, Charlotte Joslin, associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at UIC, will lead clinical trials at UIC and 10 other medical centers, including three Veterans Affairs medical centers in the Chicago area, five other centers in the United States, one in Brazil and one in India.
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Congratulations and Best Wishes to the Resident Class of 2018
"We are extremely proud of our graduates. We have no doubt that they will go on to provide the very highest caliber of care to their respective patient populations."
- Ahmad Aref, MD, MBA, Director, Residency Program
Here is where they are this year:
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Julie Goldman, MD
Cornea Fellowship
Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary
University of Illinois at Chicago
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Alex Pleet, MD
(former co-chief resident)
Glaucoma Fellowship
Northwestern University
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Shilpa Gulati, MD
(former co-chief resident)
Retina Fellowship
Tufts New England Eye Center
Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston
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Bailey Shen, MD
Retina Fellowship
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
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Robert Hyde, MD, PhD
Retina Fellowship
Kellogg Eye Center
University of Michigan
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Dan Yoon, MD
Assistant Professor
University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center
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Welcome to the IEEI: Residents and Fellows
The Department of Ophthalmology is proud to welcome the following new residents and fellows to the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary. And we are pleased to announce that one former resident, Julie Goldman
, will continue at the IEEI for her fellowship. We look forward to working with all of you and seeing your many successes to come!
NEW RESIDENTS, Class of 2021
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Samuel Burke, MD
University of Miami Medical School
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Emily Cole, MD, MPH
Tufts University School of Medicine
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Lawrence Geyman, MD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Duke University
School of Medicine
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Nita Valikodath, MD
University of Michigan Medical School
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University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
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LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS
HERE...
FELLOWS, 2018-19
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Julie Goldman, MD
CORNEA
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Jennifer Park, MD, MPH
CORNEA
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NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY
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Chau Pham, MD
OCULOPLASTIC SURGERY
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Daniel Maidana, MD
PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY
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Matthew Byun, MD
RETINA
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Ru-ik Chee, MD
RETINA
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Sarwar Zahid, MD
RETINA
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Nicole Scripsema, MD
VITREORETINAL SURGERY
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Vidhi Shah, OD
CONTACT LENS
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The 42nd Annual Alumni Resident Day was held Friday, June 15th at the University Club of Chicago. Faculty, students, and alumni enjoyed a day of presentations followed by dinner and an awards banquet. The didactic program featured three distinguished guest speakers.
Natalie A. Afshari, MD, FACS - the
Stuart I. Brown MD Chair in Ophthalmology at the
Shiley Eye Institute - gave this year's Jose S. Pulido, MD Lecture.
The Howard H. Tessler, MD Lecture was presented by
Thomas A. Albini, MD,
Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
This year's Morton F. Goldberg, MD, FACS Lecture was given by
Jennifer K. Sun, MD, MPH. Dr. Sun is
Chief of the Center for Clinical Eye Research and Trials at Joslin Diabetes Center. Following the day's presentations, guests attended a cocktail hour, dinner, and awards banquet. Outgoing residents and fellows were honored for their work at IEEI. Thank you to all our speakers, guests, and
attendees
for another successful Alumni-Resident Day!
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Top Left:
Dr. Rosenblatt recognizes Jennifer K. Sun, MD, MPH for giving this year's Morton F. Goldberg, MD, FACS Lecture.
Top Right:
Howard H. Tessler, MD (L), with speaker Thomas A. Albini, MD (R).
Bottom:
Natalie A. Afshari, MD, FACS,
presents the
Jose S. Pulido, MD Lecture.
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Alumni Reception at the AAO
The 2018 UIC Department of Ophthalmology Alumni Reception at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's annual meeting was a great success! It is always an exciting time when the AAO comes to Chicago. Hosted at Untitled Supper Club, this speakeasy-themed venue featured live jazz, exquisite buffets and a signature cocktail for our guests entitled, "The Visionary." Thank you to everyone who joined us on this memorable evening, and a special thank you to our IEEI 86' Resident Alumnus Dr. Peter Panton for his excellent presentation about our campaign for the new IEEI! We had a wonderful evening with you, and we look forward to the 2019 AAO meeting in San Francisco.
View more photos from the event here.
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Top (L-R): Drs.
Dimitri Azar, Mark Rosenblatt and Peter Panton
Bottom (L-R): Drs. R. Mark Hatfield, Nathalie Azar, Robert Panton, Dimitri Azar and Peter Panton
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Symposium co-chairs Drs. Chan and Miller welcome ROP Africa attendees.
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In collaboration with The International Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Council (
IPOSC), The Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary hosted the IPOSC ROP Africa Symposium 2018. This international symposium on retinopathy of prematurity was held September 3rd and 4th at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.
109 professionals came together to
define current and future management of ROP in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Participants attended presentations from renowned international faculty, with topics including epidemiology, neonatology, and diagnosis of ROP. Focused workshops - including a leadership development course and hands on skills transfer labs - provided practical tools for continuing ROP advocacy and clinical care in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Thanks to the generous support of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. (KTEF), IPOSC was able to provide education grants for selected retinopathy of prematurity teams in Sub-Saharan Africa to attend the IPOSC ROP Symposium. The goal was to assist a small number of ophthalmology teams in improving the diagnosis, management and treatment of ROP and to assist with the establishment of such specialized ophthalmology teams. There were 28 grant recipients from Sub-Saharan Africa; 4 individuals from 7 potential centers of excellence.
View the program and more photos on our
website.
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"It was a great learning experience...hearing from the experts who have been dealing with this disease has made me more confident in my approach to these patients."
- Dr Ngaatendwe Mataswa, Zimbabwe Grantee Team Member
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Group shot of symposium attendees and faculty.
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This semester, the Department hosted yet another successful exchange with our colleagues from KEIO University in Tokyo, Japan. The exchange program allows 8-10 second year residents from KEIO University to spend 2 weeks at UIC and observe our clinicians. Additionally, our Departments' second year residents visit Japan for 2 weeks to both observe clinical practices and to enjoy their time in Tokyo. As shown below, second year residents Teru Asato, Hitomi Ogawa, Maho Sato and Natsumi Takizawa enjoyed their training with us this October, as well as meeting new colleagues and exploring the beautiful city!
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Top (L-R): KEIO residents with two IEEI residents in the GEC: Maho Sato, Natsumi Takizawa, Lindsay Machen, Taylor Starnes, Hitomi Ogawa, and Teru Asato.
Bottom: IEEI residents and staff on Chicago outing with visiting KEIO residents.
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| Alumni and resident participants of the KEIO exchange program pose at the 2018 AAO Alumni Dinner. |
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Operation Warm with the Chicago Bulls
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Benny the Bull poses with families at Operation Warm.
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The Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary and The Chicago Bulls were proud to once again partner together to support The 11th Annual Operation Warm event on October 27, 2018. Over the years, the Chicago Housing Authority has provided 90,000 warm winter coats to more than 20,000 families at this event. Families have also benefitted from an array of valuable resources obtained in the day's service fair, including free eye exams and giveaways. This year at the UIC Forum, Dr. Rosenblatt and Bulls legend Bob Love were both present to assist in this wonderful event. We were able to provide more than 3,000 cobranded shirts to kids and adults, autographed glass cleaners, and coats to over 3,000 families. IEEI provided complimentary vision, glaucoma and general health screenings to attendees. Benny the Bull, Bulls legend Bob Love and the Luvabulls provided entertainment to the guests. Thank you to all IEEI staff that helped with this event!
Watch the official Operation Warm video.
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Top: Dr. Rosenblatt and volunteer Maria Flores pass out jerseys to the +3000 families in attendance.
Bottom: Lisa Graben (top) leads her team at the registration desk. |
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Allen M. Putterman, MD Oculoplastic Symposium
Thursday, January 17 - Sunday, January 20, 2019
Park City, UT
Register Here
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12th Annual Illinois Eye Review
Saturday, February 23 - Friday, March 1, 2019
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12th Annual Retina Symposium
Friday, April 5, 2019
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For more information and our full list of courses and events, visit:
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Exciting News Begins with You!
Our dedicated news team needs your exclusive insight! Honored with the task of sharing your remarkable stories, we are calling you to "Submit the News that Deserves the Views."
Wondering what is newsworthy? We want all of your patient stories, donor stories, alumni updates, milestones, staff highlights, research awards, conference updates, and everything else that deserves the spotlight. Just click on the News Submissions link and send us your story!
You can also find our News Submissions link on our Department website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
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Thank you to all of our patients and donors for their invaluable support in our mission to improve the quality of treatment for people suffering from vision loss.
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Proud Community Partner of the
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