Min Tae Kim is the recipient of a Fight For Sight Summer Student Fellowship.
Kansas City, Mo. (July 5, 2018) – Nonprofit organizations Fight for Sight and Saving Sight have awarded a $2500 scholarship to Boston University School of Medicine student, Min Tae Kim, for his study of how type 2 diabetes effects corneal wound healing and repair. In his research, Kim will study the role of a channel protein, Pannexin-1, in both normal wound repair and that of diabetic tissue.
“With a better understanding of the wound healing process and its differences in diabetic and non-diabetic individuals, it may become possible for us to develop ways to better monitor these types of health complications and develop therapeutics targeting diabetic corneal dysfunction,” said Kim.
Kim was awarded the grant through Fight for Sight’s Summer Student Fellowship program, which provides support to undergraduate, graduate or medical students pursuing eye-related clinical or basic research. This particular scholarship was joint-funded by Kansas City area eye bank, Saving Sight.
“Saving Sight is proud to provide ongoing support to the ocular research community,” said Tony Bavuso, Chief Executive Officer at Saving Sight. “It’s exciting to contribute to the success of the next generation of ocular researchers in hopes of finding new treatments.”
About Saving Sight
Saving Sight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to change lives by saving sight. Founded in 1960, Saving Sight has grown to become one of the nation’s leading eye banks and is focused on providing innovative solutions to its clinical partners. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Saving Sight facilitates eye donation in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois, impacting the lives of those both near and far through transplantation. About Fight for Sight
Since 1946, Fight for Sight (FFS) has supported and inspired eye and vision research by funding promising scientists early in their careers. FFS has granted over $21 million in research that has contributed directly or indirectly to major advances in ophthalmology and vision research, including the development of the IOL, aspects of donor cornea preservation, various use of ophthalmic lasers, glaucoma treatment and gene therapy.
Saving Sight is pleased to welcome three new people to its Board of Directors for the 2018-2019 fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Welcome VCC Pat Scott, IPCC Larry Boettcher, and PDG Roger Tiemann! Board members are key to the organization’s success. They actively participate in long-range planning and monitor the organization’s financial health and overall performance. As highly visible members of their communities, the board members also enhance Saving Sight’s public standing by sharing the mission, accomplishments, and goals with Lions clubs, the general public, and other partner organizations. As Lion board members, these individuals also keep their districts informed about Saving Sight. “Our board members provide crucial oversight that enables us to change more lives by saving sight through their engagement and support,” said Tony Bavuso, chief executive officer.
Saving Sight also expresses its gratitude to three individuals who retired from the board of directors on June 30, 2018. “Thank you to PDG Sandy McCann (served 3 years), PDG Lion John Reese (served 6 years), and Dr. Dan Schoenleber (served 6 years) for your service and the valuable leadership you provided over the past few years,” added Bavuso.
At the June Board of Directors meeting, the board elected its 2018-2019 leadership team.
These board members were elected to leadership roles for the new fiscal year:
President: Lion Pat Martchink, MD-26 M2
Vice President: IPCC Larry Boettcher, MD-26 M4
Treasurer: Lion Mike Oldelehr, MD-26 M7
Secretary: Lion Cassidy Obermark, OD, MD-26 M1
Congratulations to the leadership team. To see the full listing of Saving Sight’s board of directors, visit our Leadership Page.
Join Saving Sight in St. Louis on June 2nd for a comprehensive DMEK wet lab with experienced surgeons. The day will include a full morning of didactics and videos followed by a live demonstration of the procedure and the wet lab. Lecturers will cover the DMEK procedure from start to finish and work with you one-on-one to practice the technique. The final day to register is May 17!
Mark A. Greiner, MD, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Dr. Mark Greiner is Associate Medical Director and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
After completing his medical degree and residency in ophthalmology at the University of California at Davis, he completed his fellowship training in Cornea and External Diseases with Mark Terry at Devers Eye Institute in Portland, Oregon. Since joining the faculty at Iowa, Dr. Greiner has pursued his interests in eye banking and endothelial keratoplasty. He currently serves as Associate Medical Director at the Iowa Lions Eye Bank and is a clinician-scientist with a translational research laboratory that focuses on corneal endothelial cell metabolic function and keratoplasty outcomes. Dr. Greiner authored many publications including chapter 131, Surgical Technique of DMEK in the 4th edition of Cornea: Fundamentals, Diagnosis and Management. Read more about Dr. Greiner’s background here.
Shahzad I. Mian, MD, Instructor & Lab Facilitator
Shazad I. Mian, MD, University of Michigan Medical School
Shahzad I. Mian, M.D., is the Terry J. Bergstrom Collegiate Professor for Resident Education in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. He also serves the Department as Associate Chair for Education and is an associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Mian earned his medical degree in 1996 from the Emory University School of Medicine. He then completed a residency at the Wills Eye Hospital of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. From 2000-02, he was a fellow in cornea and refractive surgery at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He joined the U-M faculty in 2002 as a clinical lecturer in ophthalmology and visual sciences, and he was promoted to associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences in 2010. He has served on the board of directors and as a medical director of the Midwest Eye-Banks and currently serves as cornea editor for the Ophthalmic News and Education Network, board member of the Cornea Society, member of the Program Director’s Council and councillor for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Read more about Dr. Mian’s background here.
Geoffrey Hill, MD, Lab Facilitator
Geoffrey Hill, MD, Hill Vision Services
Geoffrey Hill, MD is a cornea specialist and partner at Hill Vision Services in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Hill received his undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Missouri Columbia and received his medical doctorate from St. Louis University. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, Il and a fellowship in Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. Dr. Hill is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. Read more about Dr. Hill’s background here.
Dr. Roy Chuck, Lynn Forest-Smith and Dr. Gabriel Rand at ARVO 2018
With the rise in diabetes, discussion over the quality of corneal transplant tissue from diabetic donors in US eye banks is of concern. According to new research presented this week at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in Honolulu, scientists are one step closer to proving the suitability of the tissue from diabetic donors.
Through the study, a retrospective analysis was conducted to determine if corneas from diabetic donors were more likely to be marked unsuitable for surgical use based upon poor Descemet membrane (DM) or endothelial cell ratings.
This project, led by Gabriel Rand, MD, resident at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, found that the presence of diabetes was not significantly associated with reduced transplant suitability. This study was the first in collaboration with Kansas City-based nonprofit Saving Sight’s donor data and is consistent with previous studies to support the continued preservation of the diabetic donor pool.
“Many cornea transplant surgeons are apprehensive about using grafts from diabetic donors because they believe the tissue to be of poorer quality. We analyzed the Saving Sight database and found that diabetes was not associated with differences in tissue quality across a number of eye bank suitability criteria. The research supports greater transplant utilization of tissue from diabetic donors,” said Dr. Rand.
Saving Sight Chief Business Development Officer Patrick Gore, RN, CEBT, Director of Business Development Lynn Forest-Smith, and Chief Operating Officer Tina Livesay were co-authors on the study. As an eye bank that facilitates eye donation for transplant and research, Gore said Saving Sight is proud to support this project and to work in collaboration with Montefiore and Drs. Rand, Chocron, Hu, Akella and Chuck.
Dr. Gabriel Rand, Patrick Gore, Lynn Forest-Smith and Dr. Roy Chuck at ARVO 2018
“We appreciate partnering with such dynamic collaborators to further ophthalmic research. To paraphrase the great Helen Keller, we believe that working together we can always achieve so much more,” said Gore.
In addition to the diabetes study, the team also presented their findings on mechanical ventilation in eye bank donors and its association with poorer corneal transplant suitability at ARVO 2018.
These studies continue to advance innovation and research in corneal transplantation through collaboration between eye banks, medical centers, and researchers.
“Eye banks have traditionally had the essential role of supplying donor tissues that enable people to see,” said Dr. Rand. “Working with Dr. Chuck and Saving Sight has been an incredible opportunity for me to understand how in addition to this role, eye banks can also advance academic research in the field of ophthalmology.”
Abstracts:
Diabetes mellitus in eye bank donors does not impact corneal transplant suitability
Authors: Gabriel Rand MD, Isaac Chocron MD, Jimmy Hu MD, Patrick Gore RN CEBT, Lynn Forest-Smith CEBT, Tina Livesay CEBT, Roy Chuck MD PhD
Mechanical ventilation in eye bank donors is associated with poorer corneal transplant suitability
Authors: Patrick Gore RN CEBT, Gabriel Rand MD, Isaac Chocron MD, Lynn Forest-Smith CEBT, Tina Livesay CEBT, Sruti Akella MD, Roy Chuck MD PhD
New Saving Sight Board Member, Jeff Schaeperkoetter
Jefferson City, Mo. (January 22, 2018) – Jeff W. Schaeperkoetter – a former Missouri Circuit Judge, Assistant Attorney General, Missouri State Representative, and Missouri State Senator – will join Saving Sight’s board of directors in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Schaeperkoetter, who has also served his country as a U.S. Army and Missouri Army National Guard veteran, will join the board for his first three-year term as a community board member.
“Our board members provide crucial oversight to help us achieve our goals,” said Chief Executive Officer Tony Bavuso. “Schaeperkoetter’s years of experience will bring a fresh perspective to our organization’s strategy this year. Through his engagement and support, I’m sure we will be able to change more lives by saving sight.”
Schaeperkoetter and his wife have both been involved in volunteer service in the Jefferson City community, from working in the education program as volunteers at Jefferson City Correctional Center to their personal work with neighborhood cleanups. Schaeperkoetter attends Capital City Christian Church and also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Historic City of Jefferson Foundation.
“I am hopeful that all of my life experiences, both professionally and personally, will give me the ability to provide productive service to the Board and the organization,” said Schaeperkoetter. “This is a great opportunity to serve the public in an organization which has done so much for so many. I am looking forward to working with the other board members and the organization as it strives to do even more.”
Saving Sight’s Board of Directors actively participate in long-range planning and secure financial resources to support sight-saving programs such as eyeglass recycling and cornea donation and transplantation. As highly visible members of their communities, the board members also enhance Saving Sight’s public standing by sharing the mission, accomplishments, and goals with the general public, Lions clubs, and other partner organizations.
For more information, visit www.saving-sight.org or contact Annie Kuhl, Chief Communication Officer, at 314-584-1710 or akuhl@saving-sight.org.
About Saving Sight
Saving Sight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to change lives by saving sight. Founded in 1960, Saving Sight has grown to become one of the nation’s leading eye banks and is focused on providing innovative solutions to its clinical partners. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Saving Sight facilitates eye donation in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois, impacting the lives of those both near and far through transplantation.
Kansas City, Mo. (January 8, 2018) – Today, non-profit organizations Saving Sight and Fight for Sight announced the joint funding of two new Summer Student Fellowships. The grants will be available to undergraduate, graduate or medical students conducting research relating to either the cornea or dry eye.
“Research and innovation within the field of ophthalmology are what drives our work forward as an eye bank,” said Tony Bavuso, CEO of Saving Sight. “We’re thrilled to partner with Fight for Sight to support students who are pursuing academic ocular research.”
The two grant awards will be $2,500 each with applications due to Fight for Sight on February 15, 2018. The announcement of awards is expected in May of 2018.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Saving Sight on two new Summer Student Fellowships,” said Arthur Makar, Fight for Sight’s Executive Director. “Together we will fund the next generation of leaders in corneal and dry eye research.”
About Saving Sight
Saving Sight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to change lives by saving sight. Founded in 1960, Saving Sight has grown to become one of the nation’s leading eye banks and is focused on providing innovative solutions to its clinical partners. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Saving Sight facilitates eye donation in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois, impacting the lives of those both near and far through transplantation.
About Fight for Sight
Since 1946, Fight for Sight (FFS) has supported and inspired eye and vision research by funding promising scientists early in their careers. FFS has granted over $21 million in research that has contributed directly or indirectly to major advances in ophthalmology and vision research, including the development of the IOL, aspects of donor cornea preservation, various use of ophthalmic lasers, glaucoma treatment and gene therapy.
About Saving Sight