Frontiers in Ophthalmology 2011
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Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology Frontiers in Ophthalmology 2011 Produced by the HMS Department of Ophthalmology 243 Charles Street, Suite 800 CONTENTS Boston, Massachusetts 02114 (617) 573-3526 www.MassEyeAndEar.org [email protected] 2 WELcoME Editors-in-Chief Senior Writer/Editor: Suzanne Ward Joan W. Miller , MD Publications Manager 6 PeopLE & PARtneRS Chief and Chair HMS Ophthalmology Vice Chairs Department of Ophthalmology Scientific Communications Affiliate and Partner Profiles Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Consultant: Discoveries Making a Difference Massachusetts General Hospital Wendy Chao, PhD Collaborating to Cure Harvard Medical School Review Committee: John I. Loewenstein, MD Wendy Chao, PhD Associate Professor of Janet Cohan 46 LIFE-TRAnsFORMING CARE Ophthalmology Kathryn Colby MD, PhD Age-Related Macular Degeneration Harvard Medical School Mary Leach Ocular Oncology Associate Chief for Graduate Melissa Paul Clinical Innovations Medical Education Reza Dana, MD, MPH, MSc Keratoprosthesis Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Jennifer Street Vision Rehabilitation Janey Wiggs, MD, PhD Special thanks to the HMS Writing Credits: Department of Ophthalmology Vannessa Carrington 72 ReseARCH & DIscoVERY Vice Chairs: Judith Gibian Cornea Mary Leach Uvea Lloyd P. Aiello, MD, PhD Melissa Paul Retina HMS Vice Chair, Centers of Charles Ruberto, PhD Optic Nerve/Glaucoma Excellence Melanie Saunders Beetham Eye Institute at Joslin Jennifer Street Diabetes Center David Sullivan, PhD 110 MILestones IN MedICAL edUCATIon Patricia A. D’Amore, MD, MBA Administrative Manager: HMS Vice Chair, Basic Research Janet Cohan Setting Standards for Medical Student Education Schepens Eye Research Institute HMS Residency Program Photography: Clinical Fellowship Programs Reza Dana, MD, MPH, MSc John Earle Photography High-Value Education Programs HMS Vice Chair, Academic Programs www.johnearlephoto.com Focus on Faculty Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary/ Schepens Eye Research Institute Design: Visual Dialogue 134 FUndING & PHILAntHRopY David G. Hunter, MD, PhD Designers: Fritz Klaetke, HMS Vice Chair, Promotions and Rita Ferreira, Kimber Couzo, Donor Profiles Reappointments Benjamin Shaykin Foundation Profiles Children’s Hospital Boston www.visualdialogue.com Alumni Giving Society John I. Loewenstein, MD Production Management: HMS Vice Chair, Medical Education Process ReACHING OUT Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary www.processcorp.net 148 Around the Corner Printing: Around the World Capitol Offset An Interview with Claes Dohlman, MD, PhD www.capitoloffset.com 162 AppendIces 3 W E L CO MessAGE FROM THE CHAIR M E “The pace and progress of Welcome colleagues, friends and supporters to the Harvard Medical School (HMS) vision science is hurtling Department of Ophthalmology’s inaugural edition of Frontiers in Ophthalmology. forward at momentous I am proud and excited to share with you this first report, which highlights signifi- speed, spurred on by cant clinical, scientific, and educational milestones of the department’s world-class affiliated hospitals and research institutions. Our report reflects on two decades of a host of exciting new discovery and progress in the field of vision science, and the tools and technologies research discoveries, an that are transforming the lives of people and patients across the globe. unprecedented culture From Boston to Bangladesh, improving ophthalmic care and its delivery to mil- of collaboration, and the lions of people worldwide is a shared vision and singular goal of the HMS ophthal- unflagging efforts of our mic community. Advancing technology, expanded global connections, and thriving clinicians, scientists, and new alliances among HMS affiliates and across the broader scientific community educators.” are fueling gains in vision science, education, and medicine. As you’ll read in the fol- — Joan W. Miller, MD lowing pages, HMS scientists, physicians, and academics from all ophthalmic dis- ciplines and across every subspecialty are brainstorming in the lab, the classroom, and the clinic. Their shared knowledge is driving ideas forward and, ultimately, improving care to patients. Educating the next generation groundbreaking advances in human genetics, regen- of leaders erative medicine, and inflammation and immunology; The HMS Department of Ophthalmology has a proud these, in turn, have led to a host of new treatments, history of teaching, training, and mentoring generations technologies, and therapies aimed at alleviating the of students who become leaders in their field. In the last suffering associated with eye diseases and blindness. several years, we’ve reinvigorated, refined and retooled HMS researchers have focused intensely on these areas, our educational program to challenge and inspire stu- and are beginning to unravel some of the mysteries sur- dents at every level of their medical education. rounding disease processes, and the biological mecha- Our training program features a newly restructured nisms or environmental influences that may cause them surgical curriculum for residents, which now integrates to go awry. lectures and customized wet lab sessions supervised by For example, you’ll read about advances in age-relat- attending physicians. Groundbreaking faculty efforts ed macular degeneration (AMD) pioneered by the HMS are reshaping resident education with the development Angiogenesis Research Group. The foundations of the of revolutionary, computer-simulated technologies group’s work not only illuminated how new blood vessel that fine-tune surgical knowledge and skills outside formation in the eye (neovascularization) contributes the operating room. Innovative courses and confer- to severe forms of AMD, but also spurred revolution- ences—including our nationally recognized cataract ary clinical treatments that halt and sometimes reverse course and new vitreoretinal course—offer students pathological blood vessel growth. Today, anti-VEGF in- added venues of scientific inquiry and learning, and at- hibitors and therapies developed in our labs have saved tract prominent, international speakers. We continue to or improved the sight of nearly a million people around forge strong alumni ties through our expanded lecture the world. Recent and exciting results from a large- series, a robust visiting professors program, a new AMD scale, phase 3 clinical trial for treating macular edema in symposium, and a newly revamped and expanded three- diabetic patients showed dramatic visual improvement day Annual Meeting & Alumni Reunion. Across the HMS using the anti-VEGF drug Lucentis®. These ground- community and abroad, our expanded alliances with breaking efforts represent a quantum leap in treatment affiliates and partners have sparked unprecedented op- for patients with diabetes—the first in 25 years—and are portunities for surgical, clinical, and research training. rapidly establishing new standards of care. All of these endeavors offer an unparalleled educational In cornea, HMS faculty members are pursuing novel experience for our brilliant young trainees. translational research that has shed new light on the roles of angiogenesis and inflammation in ocular dis- Advancing science ease. Clinical trials in these areas are providing a robust Thanks to a paradigm shift in collaboration among basic baseline of data—facilitating the development of thera- researchers and clinician scientists, insights gained pies to combat these diseases. HMS cornea scientists in the lab are accelerating bench-to-bedside discover- are also leading industry efforts to harness powerful, WELCOME ies faster than ever before. The last decade has seen new imaging technologies that more precisely target, 4 W E track, and treat corneal disease, and ultimately improve and expanding educational and research partnerships. L CO patient outcomes. You’ll also read about advances to Children’s Hospital Boston and Mass. Eye and Ear have M E our Boston Keratoprosthesis (Kpro)—the most widely integrated their pediatric services, and now offer general used corneal prosthesis in the world—coupled with ag- pediatric ophthalmology and highly specialized pedi- gressive outreach efforts to make it available to patients atric strabismus care at both institutions. The recent worldwide. To date, some 5,000 people in 50 countries, merger between Schepens Eye Research Institute and including the United States, are beneficiaries of our Mass. Eye and Ear has created the world’s largest oph- KPro programs. thalmology research enterprise. We’ve also welcomed a In 2005, significant advances in whole-genome cadre of bright, talented physicians and clinician scien- screening technologies, coupled with increasingly tists to support these important endeavors and to meet a powerful computing capabilities, are enabling us to steady rise in patient volume. initiatives, and the establishment of new healthcare explore DNA inheritance with unimaginable precision Joan W. Miller, MD alliances have all contributed to the department’s and speed. For the first time, opportunities to examine The future is now strong growth and increasing national and international gene-gene and gene-environment interactions will help The pace and progress of vision science is hurtling presence. In 2008, Dr. Miller created five HMS Vice Chair Henry Willard Williams Professor of Ophthalmology us determine who may be at increased risk for specific forward at momentous speed, spurred on by a host of positions to