September 2021 Newsletter
Feature Story: How Research and Cutting-Edge Clinical Techniques Saved a Woman’s Sight

Dr. Benjamin Xu and his laboratory are leaders in the mission to improve the care of patients with angle closure glaucoma. Learn how his research and clinical expertise helped save the vision of a woman who suddenly lost her sight during an acute angle closure attack.

HIGHLIGHTS
Faculty Promotion
New Webinar Series Host
Dr. Biju Thomas has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Research Ophthalmology.
Dr. Gloria Chiu has taken on a new role as moderator for the National Keratoconus Foundation Evening Webinar Series. These webinars take place once every other month and are designed for keratoconus patients, but anyone is free to attend. Those interested can sign up through https://nkcf.org/

Awards and Grants
Brian Toy, MD, received an NIH/NEI K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award
Project Title: Health Disparities in the Development, Persistence, and Progression of Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation in the United States
Award Date: September 30, 2021

Gianluca Lazzi, PhD, MBA, received an NSF Growing Convergence Research Grant. Mark Humayun, MD, PhD, and Kimberly Gokoffski, MD, PhD, are Co-PIs on the project.
Project Title: GCR: Reprogramming Biological Neural Networks with Field-Based Engineered Systems
Award Date: October 1, 2021

Media Mentions
Prevention quoted Annie Nguyen, MD, on ways to prevent dry eyes, including reducing screen time and avoiding blowing air. The article was picked up by MSN.

Univision featured Aaron Nagiel, MD, PhD, when profiling a young patient of his at Children's Hospital Los Angeles who almost lost her sight due to a rare genetic problem.


Faculty Publications
Since September 1, 2021, our faculty have published 13 papers. Eligible publications included those that were e-published in August.

See all publications here.