Wills Eye Institute and Thomas Jefferson University create new vision research center

May 21 2011

A new vision research center based in Philadelphia will foster regional, national and global collaborations among a diverse group of exceptional clinicians and researchers working to better diagnose, treat and prevent visual diseases.

Wills Eye Institute and Thomas Jefferson University announce the creation of the Wills Vision Research Center at Jefferson, representing more than 15 scientific disciplines. The multidisciplinary team approach will draw upon extensive knowledge and outstanding clinical expertise in the fields of ophthalmology, oncology, pathology, neurology, and endocrinology, to name a few.

The new center will be directed by Julia A. Haller, M.D., Ophthalmologist-in-Chief, Wills Eye Institute and Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, and A. Sue Menko, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.

"The primary focus of this new initiative is on translational research and studies that will have a major impact on improving vision health," said Dr. Haller.

Dr. Menko adds: "This new center brings together some of the brightest minds in vision research and clinical care from different, yet complementary, disciplines. Their collaboration, fostered by these two renowned institutions, will only lead to better ways to diagnose and treat vision diseases that affect so many patients today."

Research projects already in development include: understanding the genetics of congenital abnormalities; preventing neurodegenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and the impact of Parkinson's on the visual system; new treatments for cancers in the visual system, such as retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma; the connection between low vision and depression, especially in the elderly; and the effects of diabetes on visual health (diabetic retinopathy).

"A major objective at Thomas Jefferson University over the next several years is to increase our portfolio of programmatic research initiatives," said Leonard Freedman, Ph.D., Vice Dean for Research, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. "The depth and breadth of the Wills Eye/Jefferson Vision Center is exactly the kind of multidisciplinary approach we believe represents the future of biomedical research."