I am a clinician scientist, dedicating my academic career to research, patient care and education. My research primarily focuses on discovery of better treatments for blinding retinal diseases and encompasses all phases of clinical research, from phase 1 animal and early human studies to multicenter randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and post-approval phase studies. I have co-designed studies investigating new therapies (photodynamic, anti-VEGF and anti-VEGF/anti-ANG2) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) and have helped analyze the results. I have served on data safety monitoring for many studies. Some treatments have received FDA approval and become disruptive therapies, by restoring and improving vision for blinding diseases. Additionally, I use novel retina imaging to identify subclinical stages of DR and sickle cell retinopathy (SCR). I have collaborated on an NIH (R01 co-PI) imaging study with basic scientists. My research has received the Macula Society’s  Henkind Award, WIO’s Scientific Contribution Award and Heed Society’s Heed Gutman Award.

I enjoy educating the next generation (medical students, residents, retina fellows, PhD students) and current ophthalmic colleagues. I have given over 400 research presentations, created over 200 in-person and online educational programs and published 394 peer-reviewed papers, 43 book chapters and 6 books. These efforts resulted in the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Life Achievement Award, ASRS Presidential Award and teaching awards.

I relish mentoring, serving  and leading organizations. I co-founded Women in Retina to mentor women in a predominantly male field. I served as President of The Retina Society, President of  Women in Ophthalmology and currently serve as Editor-in-Chief of AAO’s EyeWiki, Associate Editor for JAMA Ophthalmology and incoming Secretary for The Macula Society. I have received CAOS Service and ARVO Gold Fellow Awards.

I would love to participate in ASCI, learning and sharing research with clinical scientists from myriad fields of medicine!