JANUARY 2025

2024 Year in Review

Pioneering the Future of Eye Care

José-Alain Sahel, MD

Distinguished Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology

Eye & Ear Foundation Endowed Chair,

The University of Pittsburgh

Director, Vision Institute

Emeritus Professor of Ophthalmology, Sorbonne Université

As we look back on 2024, I am deeply proud of our exceptional strides at the UPMC Vision Institute. Our commitment to improving quality of life through preserving and restoring vision continues to drive everything we do. This year, we have advanced our mission across the three pillars of patient care, research, and education—each contributing to our vision of being a leader in eye care, advancing the frontiers of eye research, and shaping the future of eye health and treatment.

Our research program, ranked eighth in NIH funding, continues to make impactful strides in ocular immunology, retinal disease, glaucoma, and advanced diagnostic technologies. These efforts are directly improving the care we provide to our patients.

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Research in the News

International Vision Institute

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, Inserm, will establish an International Vision Institute, the first such partnership for Inserm.

Cell Type-Specific AAVs: An Exploration of Reward and Cognition

A multidisciplinary research team from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University was awarded a National Institutes of Health U01 grant to explore the specific targeting capabilities of Adeno-Associated Viruses (AAVs) in neuroscience studies.

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New Thermoresponsive Gel for Delivery of Retinal AAV Gene Therapy

A research team from the UPMC Vision Institute is at work on a multidisciplinary project to test a new retinal adhesive thermoresponsive gel for delivering an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy to the outer retina for treating Leber Congenital Amaurosis (variant NPHP5-LCA).

The E. Ronald Salvitti, MD Surgical Training Lab Provides New Technology

Surgical training and surgical simulation training play a crucial role in shaping competent and confident ophthalmologists.

UPMC Vision Institute Begins Clinical Use of Luxturna® Gene Therapy

In July 2024, the UPMC Vision Institute treated its first patient with the gene therapy Luxturna^® for inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD) caused by biallelic mutations in the RPE65 gene.

Recently Published Research from the Department of Ophthalmology

Physicians and researchers from the UPMC Vision Institute, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Ophthalmology continuously produce and publish new research in a variety of medical journals throughout the year.

Pitt Team Receives Millions From ARPA-H for Whole Eye Transplant Project

To make whole eye transplants that restore sight a reality, the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh is part of a project team for a program called Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts, or THEA.

Faculty News

José-Alain Sahel, MD, Received EURORDIS Scientific Award 2024

Dr. Byrne Named Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors

José-Alain Sahel, MD, Received Macula Society Michaelson Award

Expertscape Recognized UPMC Vision Institute Faculty

Dr. Sahel Featured on Neuroscience Perspectives Podcast

Xing Chen, PhD, Received 2024 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award

José-Alain Sahel, MD, Received 2024 Wolf Prize in Medicine

19 UPMC Ophthalmologists Recognized on Pittsburgh Magazine’s Top Doctors

Conferences and Events

i2Eye Conference
Louis J. Fox Conference
Cornea Seminar
Glaucoma Seminar

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The Eye & Ear Foundation

The Eye & Ear Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1985 to foster support for the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh through the generous support of individuals and organizations.

In supporting these world-class Departments, we hold ourselves to the same high standards. We plan to keep moving forward, expanding our support network, and helping the Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery stand peerless in the distinction of research and education and, ultimately, the highest level of care provided to our patients.

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