Vanderbilt Eye Institute

The Vanderbilt Eye Institute is proud to announce that our national ranking is 20th in NIH funding among the top 50 ophthalmology departments in the United States. The ranking was determined by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.

Grants

Dr. Rachel Kuchtey, assistant professor of ophthalmology, received a new National Eye Institute RO1 grant to study the genetics of open-angle glaucoma.

Dr. Rebecca Sappington, assistant professor of ophthalmology, received a new National Eye Institute RO1 grant and a Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development Award for studies of glial signaling in optic nerve degeneration in glaucoma. 

Dr. Yan Chen, postdoctoral fellow, has received a National Eye Institute K99/R00 transition to independence award for her work on oxidative stress in retinal degeneration.

Dr. John Penn, professor and vicechair, has received a competing renewal of his National Eye Institute RO1 grant on studies of blood vessel proliferation in retinal disease.

Larry Merin, assistant professor, has received a competing renewal from Project Tennes-SEE-well.

Dr. Jiyang Cai received an International Retina Research Foundation grant to study "Genetic Variations of Nrf2 Gene and Age-related Macular Degeneration"

Resident physician Karen Schmitt was awarded a 2010 Fight For Sight-NANOS Research Award to present her studies on drug delivery at the 37th Annual NANOS meeting in Feb.

New Faces

Heather Cathcart, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow, has joined the lab of Dr. Rebecca Sappington.
John Penn, Ph.D., welcomes graduate students Colin Bretz and Sara Savage to his lab. Archana Narasanna is the new lab manager.

VEI New Residents

Lauren Butts, M.D., University of Florida College of Medicine. Internship: University of Florida
Ajay Shalwala, M.D.,Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Internship: University of North Dakota
Daniel Straka, M.D., University of Toledo College of Medicine. Internship: Riverside Methodist Hospital}
Sumeer Thinda, M.D., David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Internship: University of California
San Francisco, Fresno