Warren Pan, M.D., M.Phil, Ph.D., under the mentorship of Thomas Wubben, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, has received a grant from the VitreoRetinal Surgery Foundation to study how the retina, the part of the eye that senses light, changes after radiation treatment for eye cancers. These changes can result in a condition called radiation retinopathy, which may lead to serious vision loss. “Radiation retinopathy affects up to 50 percent of patients who receive radiation treatment for eye cancers, such as ocular melanoma,” says Dr. Wubben. “Even when the cancer is cured, patients can still lose vision later. Treatments do not work the same for everyone, so some people get better results than others.” The research team is using proteomics, a method that examines all the proteins in eye fluid to learn what is happening in the eye at a microscopic level. They compare samples from patients before and after radiation treatment to see which proteins are involved in the disease. The team also compares their findings to similar eye diseases, like diabetic retinopathy, since some treatments are related. “We have treated radiation retinopathy for many years without fully knowing what causes it,” says Dr. Pan. “By studying the proteins in the eye fluid, we can get clues about what is happening in the retina and find ways to develop better treatments.” The main goals of the research are to find out how protein levels change before and after radiation treatment in patients with ocular melanoma; to compare radiation retinopathy to diabetic retinopathy to find what is similar or different; and to connect these protein changes to how patients’ vision changes. “From these studies, we see that the protein levels can vary a lot from patient to patient, even if they have the same disease,” says Dr. Pan. “Current treatments are often ‘one-size-fits-all.’ This new research could lead to treatments that are targeted to each patient’s specific protein changes, also known as precision medicine.” Radiation retinopathy may be related to high levels of other proteins. “This means we could find new medicines to treat it,” he adds. “If we discover other proteins that play a role, we might use medicines that already exist or develop new ones.” Dr. Pan expresses gratitude for this award. “I am humbled and honored to have received the VRSF grant,” he says. “I am excited to explore the findings and build on them as I start my career as a clinician-scientist in vitreoretinal surgery.” U-M collaborators include: Thomas Gardner, M.D., M.S., Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and Hakan Demirci, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Jeffrey Michael Sundstrom, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania, is also working on the project. Dr. Pan has also received the 2025 Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Foundation award, which is given annually to the top second-year vitreoretinal surgery fellows.