Ph.D. Student Hannah Pittman Awarded GEM Fellowship
Hannah Pittman, a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Lev Prasov, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and Assistant Professor of Human Genetics, has been awarded a Graduate Engineering for Minorities Consortium (GEM) Fellowship. The GEM Fellowship provides outstanding opportunities for underrepresented students in engineering and applied sciences, connecting them with industry internships and funding for graduate research. Pittman’s research examines the connection between autoimmunity and glaucoma, focusing on how mutations in the gene that encodes the RIG-I protein (formerly DDX58) can cause early-onset glaucoma either alone or as part of a rare disorder called Singleton-Merten syndrome. After completing her Ph.D., Pittman plans to focus on translational research and therapeutics for eye diseases, especially glaucoma. “I am very grateful for the opportunities and resources provided by the GEM Fellowship. My hope is that my research will contribute to the development of new treatments for glaucoma,” she says.
Mark Johnson, M.D., Receives Two Prestigious Honors Recognizing Outstanding Contributions to Ophthalmology
The Macula Society
Mark Johnson, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Chief of the Retina and Uveitis Section, has been awarded the esteemed J. Donald M. Gass Medal by The Macula Society. This medal, established to honor the memory of Dr. J. Donald M. Gass, a trailblazer in retinal imaging, disease classification, and the pathogenesis and treatment of retinal disease, recognizes individuals who have made exceptional advancements in the understanding of macular diseases “The Gass Medal means a great deal to me personally. I was fortunate to be one of Dr. Gass’s select fellows,” says Dr. Johnson. “Working with him felt like working alongside a celebrity, yet Dr. Gass was the exact opposite of the arrogant authority one might expect. To be associated with him is deeply meaningful to me and receiving the medal bearing his name is an unexpected and profound professional honor. I am sincerely grateful.”
The Retina Society
In addition, Dr. Johnson was selected to receive the J. Donald M. Gass Award and to deliver the distinguished Gass Lecture at The Retina Society’s annual meeting in Chicago. This prestigious recognition is bestowed on an ophthalmologist who has made extraordinary contributions to the field of retinal disease. Dr. Johnson was honored for his impactful career and distinctive approach to macular disease research. “My clinical research has paralleled Dr. Gass’s approach, relying on careful observation of individual patients or patient groups,” he says. “I believe strongly in research stemming from clinical observation — a methodology I share with Dr. Gass. This approach remains fundamental to breakthroughs in clinical medicine.”