Department of Ophthalmology Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2010

 

 

It has been a remarkable year for Ophthalmology. We published a benchmark quality and outcomes report, launched exciting new education programs and events, forged ahead with innovative research efforts, scaled up faculty development, support and recruitment efforts, and continued our highly successful clinical collaborations with other HMS affiliates. The department was also successful in recruiting several prestigious clinical and research faculty to the department. 

Our first Quality and Outcomes report provided clinical and surgical outcomes data for our 13 subspecialty procedures. As a worldwide leader and center of excellence in ophthalmic care, we help to establish benchmark standards for patient care through their public dissemination, while challenging ourselves to push the envelope on the highest standards of excellence. The report also helps to raise awareness among patients, fellow ophthalmologists and financial supporters about the significant ophthalmology work at the hospital.

In education, we launched several new initiatives, including our first International AMD Symposium, a collaborative endeavor between MEEI and Schepens Eye Research Institute. This highly successful, 2-day program engaged some of the most acclaimed and learned leaders in the retina community to discuss current and future trends in research. Another highly successful debut was our comprehensive Vitreoretinal course, an intense and concentrated one-day workshop geared for first-year retina fellows that covers the theory and practice of Vitreoretinal surgery. These new educational venues build upon the enduring excellence of our teaching programs and their inclusion of the world’s elite educators and researchers in our Grand Rounds, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Pathology, Cornea and distinguished lectures series.

In the press, our Harvard Medical School Ophthalmology Residency Program was featured in the September 1, 2010 issue of Ophthalmology Times, receiving high accolades for its innovative and progressive mix of educational programs, hands-on clinical exposure, mentoring opportunities and advanced training tools. We also maintained or improved our national rankings in the 2010 annual surveys of “best programs” by US News and World Report and Ophthalmology Times.

We take pride that over half of our graduating residents continue into academic practices, and have a deep appreciation for the institutional need to support young clinical and research faculty in developing their chosen careers. Consequently, we are very pleased to have established a number of Scholar funds with a portion of the judgment from our successful legal suit on photodynamic therapy; these awards confer multi-year funding for developing academic staff, and provide a measure of stability while they build the programs and practices that will sustain them over the long-term. The Scholars awards are an important new component of our work to ensure that critical research and the training of future leaders has a firm foundation in our department.

This year, we also received a renewal from the National Institutes of Health for our Harvard Clinical Vision Scientist Development Program (K-12). Funding from the K-12 grant permits protected research time for young faculty establishing a dual research and clinical career, and is a highly effective recruitment tool for drawing an elite pool of talent to MEEI and our HMS affiliates. Both the Scholars and K-12 programs underscore our unwavering commitment to providing a focused, mentored and supportive training environment to our talented cadre of rising clinician-scientists. We were also proud to help MEEI create three new professorships at HMS this year, honoring Drs. Ephraim Friedman, Evangelos S. Gragoudas, and Joan W. Miller.

In our Ophthalmology research work, we have made significant strides in advancing basic and translational research with new leadership and reinvigorated direction in the Howe Laboratory, which is home to the preponderance of MEEI-based research. Director Richard Masland and Associate Director Janey Wiggs are providing investigators with support and guidance in developing their research programs, successfully pursuing funding opportunities, and forging promising alliances with other researchers.

 

NEW RECRUITS

Kip Connor, PhD, Angiogenesis Laboratory

Dean Eliott, MD, Retina Service

Michael S. Gilmore, PhD, Howe Laboratory

Mien Hoang, PhD, Angiogenesis Laboratory

Ann Marie Lobo, MD, Uveitis and Comprehensive Ophthalmology Services

Lotfi Merabet, OD, PhD, FAAO, Howe Laboratory and Vision Rehabilitation Service

Lynn J. P. Perry, MD, PhD, Chief Resident and Trauma Service

Angela V. Turalba, MD, Glaucoma Service

FACULTY PROMOTIONS

Promotions at HMS:

Michael S. Gilmore, PhD, was formally named as the first incumbent of the Sir William Osler Professorship in Ophthalmology.

Evangelos S. Gragoudas, MD, was formally named as the first incumbent of the Charles Edward Whitten Professor of Ophthalmology.

Richard H. Masland, PhD, was formally named as the David Glendenning Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology.

Pedram Hamrah, MD, was promoted to Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology.

Ula V. Jurkunas, MD, was promoted to Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology.

Lucia L. Sobrin, MD, PhD, MPH, was promoted to Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology.

Demetrios G. Vavvas, MD, PhD was promoted to Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology.

Mark P. Hatton, MD, community practitioner, was promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology.

Michael Morley, MD, MA, community practitioner, was promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology.

Larry I. Benowitz, PhD, Professor of Surgery was named Professor of Ophthalmology. (Secondary)

Promotions and New Roles at MEEI:

James P. Chodosh, MD, MPH, Director of Cornea Fellowship and Education

Lotfi B. Merabet, OD, PhD, FAAO, Associate Director of Vision Rehabilitation Service

Louis R. Pasquale, MD, Director of Glaucoma Service

Louis R. Pasquale, MD, and Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD, Co-Directors of the Glaucoma Center of Excellence

Douglas J. Rhee, MD, Associate Chief for Practice Development

FACULTY AWARDS AND PRIZES

The highly successful Harvard Vision Clinical Scientist Development Program, funded through a K-12 grant from NIH, was renewed for an additional five years. The program is based at MEEI and directed by Reza Dana, MD, MSc, MPH.

Eliot L. Berson, MD received the 2010 Award of Merit in Retina Research from The Retina Society.

Reza Dana, MD, MSc, MPH, received a 2010 Lew R. Wasserman merit award from Research to Prevent Blindness.

Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD was awarded the 2010 Helen Keller Foundation’s Prize for Vision Research.

Dr. Dohlman also won the 2010 European Union Cornea Society Medal.

Houman David Hemmati, MD, PhD was selected as the 2010-11 Alcon Research Scholar.

Richard H. Masland, PhD, received the 2010 Proctor Medal from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Joan W. Miller, MD, received the 2010 Suzanne Verroneau-Troutman Award from Women in Ophthalmology for her contributions to women in the profession.

Dr. Miller also received the 2010 HMS Joseph B. Martin Dean’s Leadership Award for the Advancement of Women Faculty.

Louis R. Pasquale, MD, received a Research to Prevent Blindness Physician-Scientist Award, one of 43 physician-scientists at 23 institutions to have won the award since its inception in 2000.

HMS Catalyst grants were awarded to groups which included MEE faculty Lucy Q. Shen, MD, and Louis R. Pasquale, MD, Glaucoma Service, and to Dean M. Cestari, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service.

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) named Gold and Silver Fellow awards to several MEE faculty physicians or affiliated ophthalmologists. 2010 Gold Fellows include: Eliot L. Berson, MD, James P. Chodosh, MD, MPH, Richard H. Masland, PhD, and Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD. Silver Fellows include: Anthony P. Adamis, MD, C. Stephen Foster, MD, Joan W. Miller, MD, and Louis R. Pasquale, MD.

Pedram Hamrah, MD, Cornea Service won an award from Alcon Research Ltd for a confocal microscopy project. He also was awarded a grant from the Fight for Sight foundation.

The Department of Ophthalmology was awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Lions Clubs as matching funds for purchase of a new scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) for clinical use.

NEW EQUIPMENT/TECHNOLOGY

Flow Cytometer, Howe Laboratory, used for high throughput examination of cells and their components.

Lumenis SLT laser system with co-observation optics for teaching purposes, an advanced laser treatment that is used to reduce intraocular pressure associated with glaucoma.

VR Magic EyeSi equipment for Resident training. Identical to what is used in MEEI’s operating rooms, and allows residents to practice and hone their cataract surgical skills without compromising patient care.

Heidelberg Spectralis Retinal Angiograph (HRA) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Laser Scanning System for the Retina Service. This new scanner provides far higher resolution images of the macula for patients with age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

NEW SERVICE/RENOVATIONS

We opened a first floor laser suite with argon and YAG lasers to help improve access and efficiency of patient care.

We transitioned our medical record functions from the first floor to the main hospital medical record department in order to improve records maintenance and consolidate space, making way for the planned renovation of the busy first floor clinical suites in 2011.

We are in the second year of three important affiliation agreements:

• Between MEEI and Mass. General Hospital whereby a new MGH Department of Ophthalmology has been established with Dr. Miller as Chief of Service.

• Between MEEI and Children’s Hospital Ophthalmology Foundation to provide pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus services at MEEI.

• Between MEEI and Brigham and Women’s Hospital whereby MEEI provides ophthalmology inpatient consult and trauma services at BWH. In this endeavor, we are collaborating with Beetham Eye Institute at Joslin Diabetes Center on an outpatient clinic for patients referred from BWH. Lloyd P. Aiello, MD, PhD, Beetham’s director, serves as Medical Director of this new BWH/MEEI service.

RESEARCH SUCCESSES

Identifying the phenomenon of neuroprotection in angiogenesis pathophysiology of the
retina and its use as a possible target for new treatments.

Identifying genetic markers highly associated with AMD, including RAR-related orphan receptor alpha gene (RORA), complement factor C, TIMP3, and HTRA1 variants.

Identifying the inhibitory action of aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) on retinoblastoma cells; one of the first descriptions of a non-chemotherapeutic drug with low toxicity that may be effective in treating retinoblastoma tumors.

Systematic prospective analyses of several topical (administered by eye drops) anti-angiogenic agents (to retard growth of blood vessels), bevacizumab and ranibizumab, in the cornea in patients with pathologic growth of blood vessels in the cornea. Growth of blood vessels in the cornea is associated with the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Randomized prospective double masked phase II study on novel anti-cytokine biologic agent administered as eye drops to treat the signs and symptoms of patients with ocular surface disease associated with meibomian gland dysfunction—the leading cause of dry eyes. This was a single center study conducted at Mass. Eye and Ear.

Development of a novel mouse model for neurotrophic corneal disease, one of the leading causes of non-healing epithelial defects in the cornea.

Demonstration of the regulation of stem cell niche/function by corneal nerves.

Demonstration of the pathogenic role of several immune (T) cell subsets and their molecular regulation in the development of acute and chronic corneal inflammation.

Observation that there is an inverse relation between body mass index (BMI) and the normal-tension variant of primary open-angle glaucoma in women, but not in men. This inverse association is thought to be driven by higher circulating estrogen levels in women with higher BMI.

Feasibility of accurately performing over 500,000 genotyping assays on a single cheek cell sample with DNA concentration as low as 5 ng/ul. This finding will facilitate the search of the human genome for gene variants responsible for primary open angle glaucoma as well as other complex diseases. These studies typically require large sample sizes and are often drawn from geographically disparate areas. Cheek cells serve as a readily-assessable source of DNA that can be transported to a central bio-repository via the mail.

Development and testing of a new antibiotic that targets an essential step in the biosynthesis of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall. This antibiotic was shown to be effective in inhibiting methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus derived from cases of keratitis and other sources.

Described, in a paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the mechanism by which multidrug resistant enterococci have evolved from harmless gut bacteria to leading causes of multidrug resistant hospital infection. We described a mechanism for the movement and accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes, an antiphagocytic capsule, a pathogenicity island and virtually any other element on the enterococcal chromosome. Rated by Faculty of 1000 as being in the top 2% of published articles in biology and medicine.

Increased the public database on the genomes of multidrug resistant enterococci from 2 genomes to over 30 genomes, expanding knowledge of the underlying genomics of this important hospital pathogen by over 10-fold.

Described how antibiotic use in the 1970’s and 1980’s selected for strains of enterococci that had lost a key mechanism for protection of their genome. This event opened the bacterium to the acquisition of antibiotic resistance elements, resulting in the evolution of strains in the mid 1980’s that were “pan-resistant” or resistant to all antibiotics.

Described the response of the corneal epithelium to Staphylococcus aureus, and highlighted the importance of a previously unstudied pathway in this context in host defense.

RESEARCH GRANTS

Jing Chen, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service, was awarded funds from the Department of Veterans Affairs for work at the VA Center for Innovative Visual Rehabilitation.

Kip M. Connor, PhD, Angiogenesis Laboratory, was awarded a grant from the March of Dimes foundation to study inflammatory mediators in retinopathy of prematurity.

Michael S. Gilmore, PhD, Howe Laboratory was awarded three grants from NIH, one from the National Eye Institute (NEI) and two from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, for the study of bacterial infection. The largest of the three grants is the Harvard Wide Program on Antibiotic Resistance, a multi-specialty consortium of investigators working to solve the growing threat of resistant strains of bacteria, including methecillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).

Pedram Hamrah, MD, and Joseph B. Ciolino, MD, Cornea Service, both received K-08 grants from NIH/NEI. These are “starter” funds for clinician-scientists beginning their research programs.

Dr. Hamrah also received an NIH/NEI grant to study antigen-presenting cells in the cornea.

Mary Lou Jackson, MD, Vision Rehabilitation Service received an award to study enhancement of dynamic media for visually-impaired people.

Ivana K. Kim, MD, Retina Service received a new 2-year, R-21 (exploratory/developmental research) award from NIH/National Cancer Institute to study uveal melanoma.

Louis R. Pasquale, Glaucoma Service, secured an NIH/NEI grant to study gene-environment interactions in glaucoma.

Janey Wiggs, MD, PhD, Glaucoma Service, is PI on the department’s renewed P-30 core Grant for Vision Research.

Demetrios G. Vavvas, MD, PhD, Ivana K. Kim, MD, and Joan W. Miller, MD, Retina Service and Angiogenesis Laboratory, received an award from the Elizabeth O’Brien Trust for creation of the first primate model of dry age-related macular degeneration.

CLINICAL TRIAL AWARDS

James P. Chodosh, MD, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service, received funding from Allergan, Inc. for a study on ocular adenovirus therapies.

Aaron M. Fay, MD, Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery Service received funding from Allergan, Inc. for a study to assess a drug to treat chemotherapy-induced eyelash loss in pediatric patients.

Ivana K. Kim, MD, Retina Service received funding from Genentech, Inc for a study on the safety and tolerability of a new compound to treat retinal disease.

Joseph F. Rizzo, III, MD, is participating as a recruiting physician in a study of weight reduction and/or low sodium diet in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension with mild visual loss.

Lucy Q. Shen, MD, and Louis R. Pasquale, MD, Glaucoma Service, are part of a team who received an HMS Catalyst Grant to work on a novel computer algorithm to predict visual field function based on structural imaging in glaucoma.

Lucy H.Y.Young, MD, PhD, FACS, Retina Service, received funding from Genentech, Inc. to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ranibizumab in choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD after they have had treatment for the AMD.

EDUCATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Networked Academic Programs

We recently began videoconferencing Grand Rounds with Children’s Hospital.
On September 16, 2010 we conducted our annual joint Grand Rounds with Aravind Eye Hospital in India and plan to do a similar joint session with Singapore Eye Hospital in the coming year.

Courses:

SportsVision Conference: Sports Vision is an emerging specialty area within eye care. Sports Vision 2010-A New Paradigm, held on January 24, 2010 at Fenway Park, Boston, was designed to instruct eye care providers on how to perform a sports vision evaluation and to present a scientific approach to the diagnosis and treatment of sports vision injuries and functional abnormalities.

First Biennial Symposium on Age-Related Macular Degeneration (September 30-October 2, 2010): Offered in collaboration with Schepens Eye Research Institute and organized by Patricia D’Amore, PhD, Ivana Kim, MD, and Joan W. Miller, MD, this international symposium had 28 speakers and 165 attendees. Attendees’ feedback on the course was exceptionally enthusiastic.

First Annual Fellows’ Vitreoretinal Course (July 24, 2010): Course Directors John I. Loewenstein, MD and Demetrios G. Vavvas, MD, PhD, organized this new course which attracted a distinguished group of international faculty and 40 first-year retina fellows from around the country. The one-day course offered a unique comprehensive workshop covering the theory and practice of vitreoretinal surgery and combined didactics, video, simulation lab and wet lab. With highly positive feedback from the participants, it will be repeated in 2011 and is expected to grow.

Annual Harvard Intensive Cataract Surgical Training Course (June 5-6, 2010): Course Directors: Bonnie A. Henderson, MD, Sherleen H. Chen, MD, and Roberto Pineda, II, MD. Now in its sixth year this course, once again, proved extremely popular, attracting 125 residents and 45 faculty from across the country.

Neuro-Ophthalmology Fall Festival—Case Method (October 2-3, 2010): Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD, Director. This biennial course was taught by seven faculty, four of whom (Drs. Rizzo, Dean Cestari, Simmons Lessell, and Misha Pless) are HMS faculty. Over 150 participants enrolled.

Ophthalmic medical assistive personnel training: Ophthalmology held a repeat of its highly successful 27-week program to train ophthalmic medical assistive personnel. The 2010 course, with Angela V. Turalba, MD, MMS, as Medical Director and Carolyn Shea, COMT, as Program Director, enrolled 30 students, of which nine were MEEI employees. The program endeavors to encourage and prepare trainees to make a career in ophthalmic assisting, roles which have long been in critically short supply.

COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES

Local/Regional:

• Neighborhood Charter School vision screening

• MEE/Vision Coalition Mass screening of youth at West End Boys and Girls Club, Allston

• Camp Harbor View eye screening of at-risk pediatric campers

• Vision Screening, South Elementary School, Stoneham

• MEE/Vision Coalition MA vision exams for participants in Year Up Program

• Vision and Glaucoma screening to employees at Omni Parker House Hotel

• Partners Health and Fitness Expo eye screening and “Ask a Doctor” booth

• Guest speakers at Lion’s Club Dinners, multiple locations throughout the region

• New England chapter of the Glaucoma Foundation public information lectures.

National/International:

Roberto Pineda II returned to the K-pro clinic in Khartoum, Sudan to conduct follow-up evaluations with patients, train local medical staff and perform K-pro surgery.

Janey Wiggs, MD, PhD, Glaucoma Service and Roberto Pineda, MD, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service, both journeyed to China to give lectures and consult on surgical and teaching methods with colleagues from various academic health centers in that nation.

A 12-year-old girl from Romania received life-changing surgery and post-operative care to remove a benign, but disfiguring vascular tumor covering her right eye. In honor and memory of philanthropist Ray Tye, MEEI services were provided for free. Dr. Aaron Fay, MD, Director of Mass. Eye and Ear Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Service, also donated his services.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS/EVENTS OF NOTE

Overall ranking of MEEI in Ophthalmology Times’ annual ranking of eye centers around the US rose from 6th to 5th. Our research program is ranked third in the nation.

MEEI ranked in the top four hospitals in the nation for Ophthalmology in the 2010 US News and World Report’s survey of “America’s Best Hospitals.”

A portrait of Retina Director, Evangelos S. Gragoudas, MD was unveiled and now hangs in the hallway with MEEI’s other notables outside the Howe Library.

We mourn the passing of Dr. Robert Brockhurst, Associate Clinical Professor and member of the ERG Service and Ms. Maureen Foley, a member of the Ophthalmology Administration staff for more than a decade.

Andrew Baker, OD, the first deaf person in the nation to become an optometrist, celebrated his 25th year as a staff optometrist at MEEI.

A new giving program, the Alumni Giving Society of HMS Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear, was launched to recognize gifts to the department of $1000 or more in support of any aspect of our three-fold mission.

 

 

Joan W. Miller, M.D.
Chief of Ophthalmology 

 

Page updated: 3/8/11 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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