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The Vision of One Special Patient THE NEWSLETTER OF THE HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL D epartment of Ophthalmology EyewitnessSPECIAL GRADUATION IssUE SPRING/SUMMER 2011 #17 NOTES FROM THE CHAIR procedures. As a graphic artist his visual The Vision of perception was particularly precious to him, and he certainly mourned its One Special Patient loss. However, he set out to find ways s an ophthalmologist specializing to adapt. A in blinding retinal diseases such as Rob moved into a senior independent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), living facility so that he wouldn’t spend I have always believed in life-long learning all of his energy managing day-to-day through journal articles, professional living. He discovered that many others societies, and the probing questions of our in the facility had vision problems and brilliant trainees. But it is from my patients developed a program of lectures and that I learn what no seminar or publication Dr. Joan Miller with Seymour Robins an exhibition by vendors of visual aids can teach: how they cope day-to-day with in 2008. Photo by Don Victor and equipment. He started to write the trappings of their disease, what they about living with macular degeneration, lose (and sometimes gain) along the way, how medical sharing his witty anecdotes in his prose. With his treatment affects their vision and their lives, and how they observational skills heightened by his training as a graphic often transcend the challenges of visual disability. artist, Rob fastidiously documented his altered visual Seymour “Rob” Robins was a remarkable individual and perceptions. In 2005, he published Vision Junkie: Essays a patient of mine from 1999 until his recent death at and Other Writings from the Parallel World of the Legally age 97. After military service in World War II, Rob lived Blind. I often share copies of his book with patients so and worked in New York City as a graphic designer. His they may benefit from another patient’s perspective on the cut paper designs were included as part of a 1985 exhibit experience of coping with and even thriving with AMD. at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and one of his designs Rob met adversity head on and was never defeated by was a great favorite among the cards sold by the Museum his disability; he adjusted and moved on. I was honored of Modern Art. In 1970, he relocated to Sheffield, MA in to be a part of his remarkable life. Below we share some the Berkshires, living and working in a 250-year-old barn excerpts from articles he wrote in 2009, at age 95, titled he converted to a home and studio, where he produced “How I See: A Legally Blind Nonagenarian Tells All; or, posters for such classic Berkshire venues as Tanglewood Reversing Salomé’s Dance of the Seven Veils” and “How Music Series and the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival. I See, Part 2: The Nitty Gritty of My Day,” revealing his In 2008, the Sheffield Historical Society mounted a remarkable talent for observation and inspirational zest retrospective of his graphic accomplishments, including for life. many of his cut paper holiday cards and designs. I am officially legally blind. That is a weird and After experiencing diminishing vision for a number of baffling description of a problem that puts a limit on years, Rob was referred to Mass. Eye and Ear in 1999 by some of my best behavior for living. Years ago, when my his local ophthalmologist who felt he might benefit from ophthalmologist found that my visual acuity had a number some of the cutting-edge treatments we were developing greater than 20/200, she sent that information to the for AMD. I was privileged to take care of him through his proper government agency. Good as well as undesirable initial diagnosis of dry AMD which, over time, progressed things began to happen to me. to the more severe neovascular form. Rob’s condition did not respond to treatment, despite repeated medical continues on page 12 I N THE SPOTLIGHT Lloyd P. Aiello, MD, PhD In this issue: Lloyd P. Aiello, MD, PhD Promoted Notes from the Chair .......... Cover Lloyd P. Aiello, MD, PhD Promoted to Professor of Ophthalmology to Professor of Ophthalmology ..... 2 loyd Paul Aiello, MD, PhD, Director of the Beetham Eye Institute at Joslin 2011 Resident and Fellow Graduates . 4 L and Head of the Section of Eye Research at Joslin, has been promoted to 2011 Frederick A. Jakobiec Lecturer: Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Aiello received John Irvine, MD .................. 7 his doctorate in biochemistry and medical degree from Boston University New Lectureship Honors MEEI’s School of Medicine. He completed residency in ophthalmology at the Wilmer First Glaucoma Fellow ............. 8 Ophthalmological Institute at Johns Hopkins University and Hospital before Alumni Giving Society ............ 9 coming to the Joslin Diabetes Center, where he completed both a clinical Michael S. Gilmore Appointed First vitreoretinal and a research fellowship. He joined the Joslin staff in 1994. Sir William Osler Professor of Ophthalmology ..................10 A third-generation Joslin ophthalmologist [son of HMS Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology Lloyd M. Aiello and grandson of Dr. William P. Beetham], News from All Over .............. 13 Dr. Aiello is committed to eliminating vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy Published three times a year: and other diabetes-related pathologies of the eye. These maladies account for Joan W. Miller, MD, Editor the majority of blindness among working-age individuals in America and other Judy Gibian, Staff Writer developed countries. His research aims to determine the underlying biochemistry Suzanne Ward, Staff Writer and molecular mechanisms of these diseases, then develop and test novel therapeutic interventions through rigorous translational and clinical trial research. Dr. Aiello and collaborating Joslin scientists – including George L. King, M.D., Head of the Section on Vascular Cell Biology and Director of Research at Joslin – were key members of the HMS teams working on angiogenesis research (a field founded by HMS Professor M. Judah Folkman) and its role in eye disease. Their pioneering work demonstrated the role of vascular endothelial growth continues on page 3 2 EYEWITNESS Lloyd P. Aiello, continued from page 2 factor (VEGF) in diabetic retinopathy and the therapeutic potential of VEGF inhibitors. In related research, Dr. Aiello’s laboratory made significant progress toward understanding and manipulating the expression, regulation and signaling functions of VEGF and its receptors. Dr. Aiello published the first evidence that Dr. Aiello is the author of protein kinase C-beta (PKC-beta) is involved in excessive blood-vessel growth and 134 original papers and 215 vascular leakage in diabetic retinopathy. The team went on to develop a PKC-beta publications. He has received inhibitor that interrupts the actions of this protein, thus opening a new therapeutic 40 national and international avenue for diabetic and other retinopathies. awards and honors, including: Dr. Aiello is recognized The Alcon Research Institute internationally for his leadership Award “Lloyd P. Aiello is a joy to in diabetic retinopathy research. have as a faculty member In 2002, he founded and served as ARVO/Pfizer Ophthalmics Translational Research Award and is extremely deserving of the inaugural chair for the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research his promotion to Professor of Award of Merit in Retina Network (DRCR.net), a national Research from the Retina Ophthalmology. He is the ideal collaborative network dedicated Society clinician-scientist, combining to facilitating multi-center clinical research for diabetic retinopathy, Senior Achievement Award clinical insight with scientific diabetic macular edema and related from the American Academy rigor. He is a wonderful mentor disorders. Funded by the National of Ophthalmology and a skilled administrator Eye Institute, the DRCR.net is now comprised of 150 centers The Dolly Green Scholar both in his home department nationwide representing academic Award, the Special Research and nationally in the DRCR medical institutions and private Scholar Award and the Lew R. practice groups. In its brief history, Wasserman Merit Award Network.” the network has rapidly emerged from the Research to Prevent — Joan W. Miller, MD as the premier clinical trial group Blindness Foundation in diabetes – mentioned in the Rosenthal Foundation Award U.S. Congressional Record – and and the Paul Henkind Memorial lauded by the National Institutes of Health as establishing the paradigm for Award from the Macula Society collaborative clinical trials. Dr. Aiello has been a leader in DRCR.net-led clinical trials. A recently published major finding of the network demonstrated that a Charles Schepens Award in VEGF inhibitor (ranibizumab) either with prompt or deferred laser therapy for Research the treatment of diabetic macular edema is superior to laser therapy alone – the standard therapy for the past 25 years. With nearly twice as many patients gaining Outstanding Foreign Investigator vision and only one third as many losing vision, this represents a significant Award from the Japan Society of advance in the standard of care for this condition and clinical validation of the Diabetic Complications early VEGF studies in diabetic eye disease. The Novartis Award in Diabetes In 2008, Chief and Chair, Joan Miller, MD named Dr. Aiello Vice Chair for Centers of Excellence (COE) in the HMS Department of Ophthalmology. These centers are designed to coordinate the department’s efforts in patient care, research and training in key areas of ophthalmology in order to leverage the expertise and core strengths of faculty across affiliates. As Vice Chair, Dr. Aiello brings a wealth of collaborative insight, experience and energy to this role. Initial COE targets include diabetic eye disease, AMD, cornea, and glaucoma. n SPRING/SUMMER 2011 #17 3 S PECIAL GRADUATION ISSUE HMS Department of Ophthalmology Congratulations to Our 2011 Resident & Fellow Graduates 2011 Resident Graduates Anthony Daniels, MD, MSc Justin Kanoff, MD Career Plans: Vitreoretinal Fellowship, Career Plans: Chief Resident & MEEI/HMS Director of Ocular Trauma Service, Born in Tel Aviv, Anthony grew up in 2011-12, MEEI/HMS Toronto, Canada.
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