Faculty News

David Granet, MD and Shira Robbins, MD were chosen to teach a workshop at the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Annual meeting in Washington D.C. Their workshop, “New Diagnostic Tests in Ophthalmology: Don't Let Your Residents Know More Than You,” was designed to teach other MDs about the newest diagnostic technology in ophthalmology. The presentation was delivered to other pediatric ophthalmologists and strabismus surgeons from throughout the country.

Leah Levi, MD, has recently been appointed Secretary of the Executive Board for the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS), the major professional organization for North American Neuro-ophthalmologists.

Pamela Sample, PhD, was recently elected to the faculty of the Sam and Rose Stein Institute on Aging at UCSD.

New Faculty

Gabriel A. Silva, MSc, PhD, is a new faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, the Department of Ophthalmology. Also Assistant Professor at the Whitaker Institute for Biomedical Engineering, the Neurosciences Program and the Computational Neurobiology Graduate Program at UCSD, Dr. Gabe Silva is new to the Retina research team in the Jacobs Retina Center. He seeks to employ his knowledge, research interests and teaching talents over a complementary group of academic domains. Dr. Silva completed his PhD at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is a recipient of the UCSD Whitaker Foundation Leadership Award.

His article in Science (January 22, 2004) described his work to design gel-like molecules that promote neuron growth. Dr. Silva recently delivered a seminar for the Department of Bioengineering, University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Weldon Haw, MD, is a new faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Shiley Eye Center and Chief of Ophthalmology, SD Veterans Medical Center. Previously he was Clinic Chief at the Stanford University Department of Ophthalmology and Director of Refractive Surgery at the Stanford South Bay Eye Laser Center. Dr. Haw was a Chief Resident and fellow in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Stanford University and was a recipient of the Thomas D. and Ruth Byers Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship. He was elected to America's Top Doctors in 2002. Dr. Haw has authored over 30 peer reviewed publications, he has 13 book chapters and he has presented over 30 national and international lectures. Recently, he lectured at the Royal Hawaiian Eye Society in Kauai.

Honors And Awards

Each year the International Society of Refractive Surgery honors an individual who has made significant contributions in the field of refractive surgery and whose character exemplifies the scientific dedication of the founding father of ISRS, Jose I. Barraquer. Professor David Schanzlin, M.D. was recognized this year for his contribution as a pioneer in the field of In-tacs™ (permanently implanted contact lenses).

During his twenty-five years in this field, he has helped develop many new technologies and has authored numerous publications. His lecture, “Additive Approaches to Corneal Surgery,” was delivered on November 16 during the American Academy of Ophthalmologists (AAO) annual meeting.

Robert N. Weinreb, MD, received an award for "contributions, outstanding achievement and dedicated service to Ophthalmology" after he delivered the 20th Kimura Lecture at University of California San Francisco School of Medicine on January 8, 2004. The lecture is named in honor of Samuel J. Kimura MD, the distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology at UCSF, and presented by his widow Pearl (age 92). Dr. Kimura was world-renowned for his research and clinical care of inflammatory diseases of the eye. Dr. Weinreb is Professor of Ophthalmology at the UCSD School of Medicine and Shiley Eye Center. He also is Director of the Hamilton Glaucoma Center.

In January 2004, Dr. Weinreb began a two year term as President of the Association of International Glaucoma Societies (AIGS). The AIGS is an independent, global organization for glaucoma science and care. With more than 17,000 members, the AIGS seeks to optimize quality of glaucoma science and care through communication and cooperation among international Glaucoma Societies, industry, glaucoma patient societies and all others within the glaucoma community.

UCSD Shiley Eye Center faculty at the Seventh Annual Ocular Drug Surgical and Therapy Update Meeting

The Seventh Annual Ocular Drug Surgical and Therapy Update Meeting was held at the St. Regis Hotel in Dana Point, CA. UCSD faculty who lectured included: William R. Freeman, MD, Michael H. Goldbaum, MD, David B. Granet, MD, Weldon Haw, MD, Don O. Kikkawa, MD, Leah Levi, MD, Felipe A. Medeiros, MD, and David J. Schanzlin, MD. Several hundred ophthalmologists attended this program that is designed for general ophthalmologists. The Program Chair of the meeting was Robert N. Weinreb, MD.