Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center 2022-2023 Annual Report

BRINGING

SIGHT TO LIFE 2022-2023 Annual Report

| Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center

TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chair

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Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center Residency Program 12

See Our Impact 2 An InCUbator for Innovation

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5

Cochrane Eyes and Vision US Project Supports Evidence-based Care

15

Telemedicine Advances in Ophthalmology

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A New Frontier for AMD Treatment

16

Envisioning a Cure

7

Faculty 17

New Clinics at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center

9

Women Leaders in Ophthalmology

10

CellSight’s Vision Becoming Reality

3

Seeing New Possibilities for AI in Eye Care

Endowed Chairs 19 Contact Us 21

Boosting Mental Health Through Resident Wellness 11

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR The burden of debilitating eye diseases grows unabated with our aging population and is unfortunately coupled with a shortage of ophthalmologists in many communities across the nation. While we celebrate the advances made in treating reversible blindness, we are acutely aware of the significant unmet needs remaining for those experiencing irreversible blindness. Emerging technologies in artificial intelligence, imaging, molecular science, and therapeutics hold the promise to not only enhance access to proven therapies but also to bring us closer to curing blindness itself.

Our department has been dedicated to discovering and implementing these transformative solutions, and I take immense pride in the recognition we have received for these efforts on a national scale. In Nature’s 2022 Innovation Index report, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus was named as one of the top academic institutions globally for innovation, specifically ranking fourth in patent influence as an academic institution.

This recognition is driven strongly by the impact of our department’s contributions, including technological advancements developed within our institution such as the Kahook Dual Blade, which has solidified its position as the second-most used minimally invasive glaucoma surgery device worldwide for the last nine years, and most recently, SpyGlass Pharma, a spinout company which recently raised more than $130 million for the first-ever multi-year drug delivery system for glaucoma. This latest groundbreaking innovation was developed by our very own Malik Kahook, MD, and is one of 13 successfully licensed technologies originating at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center in the last four years.

“EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, IMAGING, MOLECULAR SCIENCE, AND THERAPEUTICS HOLD THE PROMISE TO NOT ONLY ENHANCE ACCESS TO PROVEN THERAPIES BUT ALSO TO BRING US CLOSER TO CURING BLINDNESS ITSELF.”

NARESH MANDAVA, MD

The foundation of innovation is scientific discovery, and our exemplary CellSight program has embodied this notion since launching just over five years ago. CellSight has revolutionized ocular stem cell-based technologies and established itself as a global leader in the fight to prevent blindness from retinal diseases. In 2022, CellSight researchers, Valeria Canto-Soler, PhD, and Natalia Vergara, PhD, and their respective teams were awarded the top two out of three prizes in the National Eye Institute’s 3D Retinal Organoid Challenge – placing in the NEI’s challenge for the second year running.

These achievements are a testament to our department’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of possibility in eye care.

At the heart of our efforts is the commitment to improving access to and quality of patient care, not only in the Rocky Mountain region but across the world. We have had remarkable growth of our faculty and are proud to have built one of the largest multispecialty ophthalmology practices in the country. Part of this growth includes the addition of our AI team led by Jayashree Kalpathy-Cramer, PhD. AI will enhance every aspect of our work, from diagnostics and patient experience to risk stratification and triage. AI will optimize workflow in clinics, provide a second set of expert eyes, and open doors to new possibilities in patient care. As the sole academic eye center in Colorado, serving a large geographic region beyond our state, we are cognizant that many patients are unable to travel long distances, and we are steadfast in our mission to adapt new approaches and technologies to provide patients the highest quality of care.

Thank you for your unwavering support. Together, we can continue to advance our commitment to eradicating blindness and making a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals.

Sincerely,

Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Endowed Chair in Retinal Diseases Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology University of Colorado School of Medicine

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SEE OUR IMPACT

$16M+ 105

IN TOTAL FUNDING FOR SPONSORED RESEARCH GRANTS FROM FY2021-2023

PUBLICATIONS IN CALENDAR YEAR 2022

61

PATENTS FROM DEPARTMENT FACULTY AND RESEARCHERS SINCE 2020

35

CLINICAL PARTNERS ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION

32

SPONSORED RESEARCH GRANTS FROM 2021-2023

30 13

ACTIVE CLINICAL TRIALS TECHNOLOGIES LICENSED TO FIVE DIFFERENT ENTITIES FROM FY2019-2023

$200M+

IN TOTAL FUNDING RAISED FOR CU DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY SPINOUT COMPANIES

#20

166,800+ 9,600+

IN DOXIMITY’S RESIDENCY NAVIGATOR SURVEY

24 8 41

RESIDENTS

FELLOWS

RESEARCH STAFF

UNIQUE PATIENT VISITS BY CU FACULTY IN FY2023

SURGERIES BY CU FACULTY IN FY2023

12

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

80 20

FACULTY

SECONDARY FACULTY

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CellSight’s Vision Becoming Reality Five years since CellSight launched, the ocular stem cell and regeneration research program has revolutionized technologies, exceeding its own goals, and becoming an established global leader in the fight to prevent blindness in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

“The dream was to develop a retinal transplant containing photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium cells and start transplanting it in animal models,” says Valeria Canto-Soler, PhD, director of CellSight and the Doni Solich Family Chair in Ocular Stem Cell Research at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center. “We thought we might be ready to start thinking about the transplant process after five years. Those five years have passed, and that dream is already underway with very promising, preliminary results.”

State-of-the-art CellSight laboratories, which were built in 2017, hold 60 cell culture incubators, which mimic human retinal development.

The program currently has five complementary research groups led by Canto-Soler, Vergara, Joseph Brzezinski, PhD, Miguel Flores-Bellver, PhD, and Marc Mathias, MD. Expanding from its six founding members, the team now involves 24 internationally recruited staff and trainee members. Much of CellSight’s success has been built from the ground up, just like the laboratory, because such retinal transplants haven’t ever been attempted.

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“The nature of the transplant that we are developing is unique, so we had to go from zero,” Canto-Soler says. “You have to solve all the problems of a new technology that no one else has tried to develop before. There were no surgical instruments to manipulate and deliver this type of transplant.

We had to design the right tools to use and adapt the surgical procedures to suit the clinical product that we are working toward.”

A significant CellSight innovation has been the use of noninvasive imaging technology to assess the functionality of the retinal tissue. Collaborating with NanoScope Technologies, LLC, a company focused on the development of biomedical devices for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, the CellSight team established a noninvasive assessment that allows functional evaluation of the retinal transplants before and after implantation – not only in a research setting, but one that could be translated into clinical care as well. Together, they also developed a model using a laser to mimic AMD to more accurately test their retinal transplant approach.

Groundbreaking research and innovation like this have earned the CellSight team one patent, with five more under review, and the top two prizes in the National Eye Institute’s 2022 3D Retinal Organoid Challenge (NEI 3D ROC).

Canto-Soler led a team that won the NEI 3D ROC’s disease modeling category, earning $500,000, and Vergara led a research group that won the drug screening category, which secured $250,000. This is the second time the ophthalmic research group has placed in NEI’s 3D ROC in recognition of their work to develop stem-cell technologies to cure retinal diseases.

“We are very excited because these awards are recognition of the work we’ve been doing for several years to bring these organoid technologies to the next level. We knew that there were certain challenges that needed to be overcome, mainly to provide a system that was robust enough that could be used for quantitative applications,” Vergara explains.

“When we work as a team, we can accomplish so much more than what any of us could accomplish on their own.”

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“AI can help standardize care,” she explains. “I do a lot of work in underserved communities.

“The idea of being able to take the best knowledge we have and translate it into something that can be deployed across not only the hospital system, but across the country and the world, is very powerful. The ability to potentially reduce overtreatment and improve the quality and consistency of care is another area where AI can be helpful in ophthalmology.”

Expanding screening access

Seeing New Possibilities for AI in Eye Care Jayashree Kalpathy-Cramer, PhD, joined the Department of Ophthalmology in 2022, becoming chief of the department’s new Division of Artificial Medical Intelligence in Ophthalmology. In this role, KalpathyCramer will look to translate novel artificial intelligence (AI) methods into effective patient care practices at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center.

Kalpathy-Cramer emigrated from India to attend graduate school in the U.S. in the 1990s and has worked in AI for the past decade, with a focus on applying machine learning to images. Before coming to CU, she was an associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School. She remains a co-director of the Quantitative Translational Imaging in Medicine Lab.

Applying machine learning to diagnostics “Broadly, AI has made great strides in computer vision and natural language processing tasks,” says KalpathyCramer. “Eye care is a specialty that relies heavily on imaging, which makes ophthalmology ripe for the implementation of AI.” By identifying patterns and trends in individuals and populations throughout the state and beyond, integrating AI methods with patient care will lead to a more proactive health care approach.

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With an initial focus on building AI algorithms for the diagnoses of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, Kalpathy-Cramer also hopes to expand on her studies of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a potentially blinding disorder affecting premature infants.

Although much progress has been made, many obstacles remain, says Kalpathy-Cramer.

“There are many algorithms that have been published in the literature but the full potential of AI to transform health care has yet to be realized,” she says. “The ‘final mile’ of implementing AI in the clinic is still a challenge for most institutions. Even if the infrastructure for deployment might not be fully developed yet, AI is already moving forward.”

The open-source nature of the computer science community and the advances in computer technology has allowed the field of medical AI to build on successes from other domains. In addition, large amounts of data being collected from electronic health records and the expansion of databases like those supported by the National Institutes of Health are paving the way for more AI-powered tools. The widespread adoption of devices like smartwatches that collect health information from individuals is another opportunity to explore. Overcoming resistance to change may be the first hurdle to clear.

Ensuring that AI algorithms are safe and fair and do not cause harm to vulnerable populations is key to broad adoption.

“Our true measure of success will be determined by the impact our work has on the health of the patients we serve at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center,” says Kalpathy-Cramer. “Ultimately, instead of thinking of AI as replacing doctors, we need to think about what humans are good at versus what computers are good at to ultimately improve the art and science of medicine.”

Telemedicine Advances in Ophthalmology The University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmology is at the forefront of telemedicine with new offerings that improve care and access for patients in the Rocky Mountain region and beyond.

These innovative technologies make it easier for physicians to reach their patients, especially those who have difficulty accessing care or seeking treatment due to distance, scheduling, or other factors.

Care for premature infants Strengthening care and comfort for infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in Colorado is a hybrid in-person and telemedicine service. Many infants born prematurely face the risks of ROP, a potentially blinding eye disease that occurs because blood vessels in the back of the eye are not fully developed and could grow abnormally after premature birth.

Faculty members at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, in partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado and St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction, created the telemedicine ROP service to monitor premature infants remotely and through monthly in-person visits until their eyes have reached full vascularization, or until they’re beyond the critical period of blood vessel growth.

JE N N IFER JUNG, MD

“Although telemedicine has been on the rise and serving many benefits for patients, especially with COVID, it’s been very limited in the area of ophthalmology,” says Jennifer Jung, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology and director of the ROP service. “However, with telemedicine retinopathy of prematurity exams, we can obtain high-quality photos of the retina to determine the need for treatment. It doesn’t take away from an in-person exam.”

Leveraging the evolving technology, CU pediatric ophthalmology leaders believe implementing telemedicine in ROP could set a new standard of care and transparency.

“We are moving in the telemedicine direction with the advantages of technology, and this is one area where we can exclusively benefit children with ROP and their families,” Jung says.

Managing glaucoma at home For some patients with glaucoma, the iCare HOME tonometer is considered a game-changer for managing intraocular pressure (IOP).

The small, portable device is designed for patients to measure their IOP at home without anesthesia or eye drops. The Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center is one of the first to implement this at-home technology as a one-week rental for patients.

“Normally for glaucoma, we’re monitoring pressure two to four times a year with patients coming in every three to six months for a pressure check in the clinic, and it’s just a single spot reading,” explains Leo Seibold, MD, professor of ophthalmology and director of the department’s glaucoma fellowship. “At home with this device, you get multiple readings over continuous days, so LEO SEI BO LD, MD it’s a more accurate representation of the patient’s pressure in real life.

You can catch spikes in pressure that you might miss from that one in-office check.”

Studies show teleglaucoma screening reduces the rate of false-positive referrals, emergency room visits, and hospital exposure, especially during the pandemic. This not only reduces the burden on health care systems, but also offers some cost and travel relief for patients.

As at-home technology continues to develop and improve, CU ophthalmologists believe smartphones could be the next revolutionary adaptation for low-risk screenings, but the biggest benefit is increased ability to test early, prevent further damage, and improve long-term outcomes for patients.

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Envisioning a Cure Caleb Hebel was in his mid-30s, the prime of his life, with two active children and one on the way, when his mysterious ailment started. “I was go, go, go,” he recalls. “I played hockey, golf, and lifted weights. Our kids were involved in sports, so we were always going places.” On top of that, he was the chief financial officer of a real estate development company and principal of a family business.

He was mystified when he began feeling extreme fatigue, mental fog, and general malaise, but attributed it to his busy life. Then a cascade of even more troubling symptoms followed – from night sweats and shooting nerve pains, to muscle twitches, neck vibrations, and ocular migraines. When he began losing peripheral vision, he became even more alarmed. He sought help from one doctor after another, but there were no clear answers for his condition after several referrals.

“All tests kept coming back normal, no one had an explanation of what could be going on,” says Caleb’s wife, Amanda. “It felt like no one wanted to take the time to research. It was really up to us to find an answer for ourselves.”

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Nearly two-and-a-half years after his initial symptoms, Caleb finally received a diagnosis from Alan Palestine, MD, professor of ophthalmology and chief of the Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Section at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Specialized, multidisciplinary care makes all the difference After running two tests – one being an angiogram with fluorescein dye to test for blood vessel damage in the retina – Palestine diagnosed Caleb with a rare, autoimmune disorder called Susac syndrome, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, retina, and inner ear. In Caleb’s case, it led to uveitis and retinal vasculitis – inflammation of the eye and involving the retina – which is a specialty of Palestine’s.

Not long after his diagnosis, while on a trip to Chicago, Caleb experienced an occlusion, or blockage of a blood vessel, which precedes permanent vision loss as that section of the retina is deprived of blood.

“This is a terrifying experience when you can ‘see’ part of your vision being lost forever,” Caleb explains. “Quick actions are necessary to slow down further damage. I could text Dr. Palestine at 9 p.m. on a Friday asking for help, whether it be guidance on meds or ordering an emergency steroid infusion.”

Joining the fight to prevent blindness

“He’s essentially had the equivalent of stroke in his retina, and part of the retina has been deprived of blood flow and died,” Palestine explains.

Susac syndrome occurs in only 0.1% of the population, and there is no known cure. Although Caleb will never recover his peripheral vision losses, he’s determined to preserve his central vision so he can continue living life that he loves – filled with outings with their three children, exploring Colorado’s great outdoors, and traveling the world.

Getting the diagnosis was only the beginning: Caleb is now on a regimen of steroids, immunosuppression treatments, and low-dose chemotherapy to manage the inflammation associated with the disorder and prevent further vision loss.

Because Susac syndrome is so rare, with each individual experiencing unique symptoms, there has been little research into the disorder and others like it. The Hebels – and Palestine – would like to change that.

Because uveitis frequently co-occurs with rheumatic diseases, Palestine created the Ocular Inflammation Multidisciplinary Clinic at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center with Jason Kolfenbach, MD, associate professor of rheumatology at the CU School of Medicine. At the clinic, patients receive eye care from ophthalmologists while a rheumatologist focuses on inflammation in the rest of the body. The integrated treatment approach was important to the Hebels.

Caleb believes having a multidisciplinary center dedicated to eye inflammation will lead to the collection of more data, translating to faster diagnoses and better treatments so others will not have to go through what he did.

“When you see two doctors together, it makes all the difference in the world,” says Caleb. “You don’t have to repeat your health history to different specialists, and they’re reviewing your test results with you and interpreting them together.”

This approach also enables the doctors to work more effectively on the treatment plan, rather than trying to communicate with each other after patient visits and follow up with the patient at the next appointment. “Everyone is on the same page at the same time,” says Palestine.

The Hebels would like to see more of this approach in health care.

“Our joint team of doctors are responsive,” Caleb says.

“They understand where we’re at and why it’s important.”

Following the success of the Ocular Inflammation Multidisciplinary Clinic, the Hebels made a significant contribution to support Palestine’s work on a larger level.

Palestine launched the Center for Ocular Inflammation in the Department of Ophthalmology in 2021, the first of its kind, providing integrative patient care, patient support, physician education, and research concerning ocular inflammatory diseases such as uveitis and scleritis.

“We had always thought about getting involved in philanthropy,” says Caleb. “This gives us the opportunity to follow our passions in an area where we saw a great need.”

Learn more about how you can contribute to this specialized care.

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New Clinics In the last three years, the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, in partnership with UCHealth, has established two innovative, multidisciplinary clinics and programs to personalize care for patients with specialty conditions.

THE CENTER FOR OCULAR INFLAMMATION The Center for Ocular Inflammation is the first of its kind to offer integrative patient care, patient support, physician education, and research concerning ocular inflammatory diseases such as uveitis, scleritis, and ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.

The Center for Ocular Inflammation is an endowed program within the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Uveitis is a general term for a group of diseases involving infectious and noninfectious inflammation inside the eye. This group of diseases account for 10% of legal blindness in the United States and, unlike many age-related eye diseases, it affects younger, working-age individuals. Often, other organ systems are involved in the inflammatory process. When combined with other ocular inflammatory disorders such as scleritis and ocular pemphigoid, the scope and patient impact of ocular inflammation is even greater.

Patients work with an ophthalmologist, a rheumatologist, and other medical specialists in a simultaneous, combined environment at the UCHealth Ocular Inflammation Multidisciplinary Clinic – Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center. Ocular inflammatory diseases can have significant long term visual consequences and we believe that this approach provides improved and more efficient patient care and physician coordination.

ALAN PALESTI NE, MD

Program Leader: Alan Palestine, MD, Chief of the Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Section, Professor of Ophthalmology

PEDIATRIC-ADULT OPHTHALMOLOGY TRANSITION CLINIC Our UCHealth Pediatric-Adult Ophthalmology Transition Clinic caters specifically to adults with special needs, who might otherwise have difficulty getting eye appointments or the level of care they need. Many of these patients are nonverbal or have severe intellectual delays that can be challenging for eye exams. This clinic utilizes the strengths and skills that pediatric ophthalmologists use every day to help this underserved population of patients who need to move out of Children’s Hospital Colorado or other children-focused care and into a more appropriate care setting.

Program Leader: Michael Puente, Jr., MD, Director of Medical Student Education, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

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M I C H A EL P U EN TE, J R. , MD

Women Leaders in

Ophthalmology

Visibility of women in ophthalmology can have an important impact in the field, both for patients and for future leaders in eye care.

SOP HIE LI AO , MD

“Representation matters,” says Sophie Liao, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and associate chief medical officer of ambulatory services for UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. “Some patients feel most comfortable seeing a female, male, or genderneutral provider depending on their medical concerns. I am glad to be part of a faculty group that is actively striving to meet those needs in order to take the best possible care of our community.”

Women are at an elevated risk of many eye diseases and experience blindness at a higher rate than men, making it especially meaningful to encourage more women into the field.

“Having a physician who is like-minded can really help,” echoes Cara Capitena Young, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the CU School of Medicine and medical director for the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center surgery center. “I think that’s true for patients of every background. Having that representation in all facets of medicine is really important.”

Women make up nearly half of the faculty in the CU Department of Ophthalmology and one in three women faculty members hold leadership positions within the department, on the CU Anschutz campus, or within a vision organization.

Those leadership positions come with a greater responsibility that can create significant advancement.

“I would love to see more junior women see that there are leadership possibilities, especially because our department has done such a good job at nurturing new leaders,” Liao says. “It certainly helps to make the connections that accompany leading, but it’s also important to see how it ultimately affects patients and how it affects the way you can care for people.”

While some recent research shows the number of women in ophthalmology isn’t expanding as quickly as some other medical specialties, there is an upward trajectory and progress continues.

“It’s important that we communicate to the faculty and trainees we are recruiting to think about a leadership role because it does matter. It’s not just a line on a CV,” Liao says. “There is a need for quality clinicians to bring that same dedication to leadership because it makes patients’ lives better as well.”

The results can be seen in the classroom and in the operating room. Liao and Capitena Young both point to supportive colleagues and offering a helping hand or an encouraging word as an important foundation to propelling diversity forward.

“It starts with women supporting women,” Capitena Young says. “But having male allies is also essential. We’re lucky in this department because we have them. They bring us up with them and recommend us for opportunities when they arise.”

C A R A C A P I T ENA YO UNG, MD

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Boosting Mental Health Through Resident Wellness Mental health is a top priority in the University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmology. Now in its second year, the Resident Wellness Program is designed to provide an interactive and engaging learning experience that is built into residents’ basic science curriculum. After completing their internship year in the CU Department of Internal Medicine, residents can begin the two-year wellness program, which features educational experiences from panels and speakers to active occupational wellness sessions that discuss ergonomics, work life balance, contract negotiations and more.

“More and more studies show that physician burnout rates are much higher than most of us expected,” says Cara Capitena Young, MD, assistant professor and medical director for the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center surgery center. “The best way to create change is to teach them early in their career.”

Capitena Young and assistant professor Mariam Ahmad, MD, who both lead the program, say the program is a chance to prevent physician burnout before it even begins.

A 2020 survey, the largest of its kind, conducted by faculty in the CU Department of Ophthalmology, found that more than one in three ophthalmologists feel symptoms of burnout, which is often described as mental, emotional, and even physical exhaustion brought on by repeated or prolonged stress.

“In one survey, ophthalmology was third from the bottom in terms of burnout rate amongst all our colleagues in medicine, but even the specialty with the lowest rates still had a 42% burnout rate,” explains Leonard Seibold, MD, professor of ophthalmology and director of the department’s glaucoma fellowship, who led the survey. “That’s a significant amount.”

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Factors such as loss of autonomy, increased time spent charting, cramming more patients into tight clinics, doing more with fewer staff, declining reimbursements, and changing regulations and oversight are all reasons why ophthalmologists say they are feeling the effects of physician burnout.

The Resident Wellness Program seeks to reduce those burnout statistics and help prepare future ophthalmologists with the tools to do so.

“Programs have more recently started to realize that burnout and mental health can have an effect on patient outcomes, the structure of the department and general happiness,” Ahmad says. “We’re hoping to improve not only the learning environment for residents, but also for their patients.”

The department’s Resident Wellness Program is focused on six dimensions of wellness: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. Lessons throughout the two years of instruction include classic self-care mechanisms such as yoga, but also on programs specifically relevant to ophthalmologists, such as improving ergonomics during surgery.

Other lessons have included panels that focus on other aspects of stress, like managing finances and landing a job.

Residents attend a lecture based on one of the six elements for an hour once every few months and then complete assignments, which range from readings and quizzes to activities that boost morale.

“Overall, it’s better to prevent burnout than having to treat it later on,” Capitena Young says. “That’s what we want to accomplish for the next generation of ophthalmologists.”

Sue AnschutzRodgers Eye Center Residency Program The ophthalmology residency program at the University of Colorado focuses on the development of outstanding clinical and surgical skills. Residents experience broad and in-depth experience, with extensive exposure to the evaluation and management of both common and rare ophthalmic diseases. After the intern year in partnership with the CU Department of Internal Medicine, residents complete three years of ophthalmology training. The residency program has been ranked as one of the top 20 programs in the nation by Doximity.

4 Facilities

More Than 50%

18 Rotations

24 Residents

3,000+ Surgeries

Our residents rotate through five facilities during their training.

More than 50% of our residents move on to fellowships for subspecialty training.

Residents complete 18 rotations througout the duration of the residency.

Our program accepts 6 new residents a year, for a total of 24 at a time.

Residents had the opportunity to perform more than 3,000 surgical cases in FY2023.

Residency Program Director As of July 1, 2023, Monica Ertel, MD, PhD, assistant professor of ophthalmology, was named the department’s residency program director. She succeeds Jeffrey SooHoo, MD, MBA, who was named an assistant dean for student affairs in addition to his roles as assistant dean of admissions for the CU School of Medicine and associate professor of ophthalmology.

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An InCUbator for Innovation The Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center prides itself on fostering innovation, evidenced by the number of patents filed by its clinicians and researchers with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

In the last two years alone, over a dozen patents have been licensed to off-campus companies focused on commercializing innovative approaches to fight eye diseases and preserve vision, says Malik Y. Kahook, MD, vice chair of translational research and professor of ophthalmology in the University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmology. Researchers in the department continue to develop new devices and therapeutics that will improve the delivery of eye care. The department has collaborated successfully with venture backed start-up companies that spin off campus as well as with existing companies that license and commercialize products.

An eye-opening drug delivery platform One recent standout is SpyGlass Pharma, a privately held ophthalmic therapeutics company co-founded in 2019 by Kahook.

After three years in development, the company presented its novel drug delivery platform at the Eyecelerator innovation meeting, held in advance of the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2022 conference. The platform is an intraocular lens that is coupled with drug releasing pads, which slowly release various pharmaceuticals to ensure consistent delivery.

The novel drug delivery platform allows for both short- and long-term controlled delivery of medications depending on the specific disease target. The first disease target addressed by the SpyGlass team is glaucoma, which is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness globally.

The ability to target several years of drug release is a first for glaucoma treatment and represents a significant leap forward in controlled drug delivery. The product is designed so that the system is inserted in the lens capsule of the eye after cataract surgery is completed. Many patients require treatment for cataracts and glaucoma simultaneously, which makes the SpyGlass platform an important innovation in improving treatment for patients with these coexisting conditions.

Early-stage trials of the SpyGlass system containing the drug bimatoprost showed a 45% decrease in eye pressure across participants, and plans are underway to file an investigational new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration and begin phase 1/2 trials in the second half of 2023, Kahook says. In July 2023, the company announced the closing of $90 million in Series C financing to help support multiple clinical trials in the United States.

Treating cataracts and glaucoma with the SpyGlass platform is just the first step. Other drugs are in early stages of the research pipeline that will target conditions such as inflammation and retinal diseases.

“Our pioneering CU-born platform represents a new paradigm for the treatment of various acute and chronic eye conditions and has the potential to change the way we practice ophthalmology around the world,” Kahook says.

Minimally invasive treatment with a big impact Kahook is also the inventor of a device that bears his name – the Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) – which has been used by eye surgeons worldwide as a minimally invasive glaucoma procedure since its U.S. launch in 2015. The Ophthalmologist Magazine hailed the device as having “the potential to democratize angle surgery from an economic perspective, without sacrificing precision.” New World Medical sells the device through a licensing agreement with CU. “Most surgical approaches are effective but also carry a significant amount of risk for complications,” Kahook says.

“I saw an unmet need to provide a cost-effective method, allowing for accessibility across the world, to decrease eye pressure by removing the trabecular meshwork, which is the diseased tissue that blocks fluid outflow, from eyes with glaucoma.”

The KDB treatment quickly became the second-most common glaucoma procedure in the United States, says Kahook, but he still found ways to improve the device.

Integrating new research and feedback from eye surgeons, Kahook and New World Medical engineers designed a new version of the blade, the KDB Glide, and brought it to market in 2021. The KDB Glide features narrowed sides and a micro-engineered footplate, upgrades that accommodate a more expansive range of eye shapes, sizes, and contours than the original device.

“The original KDB was really good for the majority of patients, but there were outliers, for whom the procedure itself could have been made smoother,” Kahook explains.

“Surgeons who were adept at using the original KDB and are now using the KDB Glide think it’s a great improvement.”

Innovating eye care for the underserved Kahook is also involved in innovating new educational approaches through his collaboration with Orbis International as a board director and volunteer faculty. Orbis, which operates the Flying Eye Hospital and the Cybersight online digital platform, is a global nonprofit focused on prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness through training, education, and advocacy, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

The Flying Eye Hospital is a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft donated by FedEx. This state-of-the-art plane allows a clinical team and volunteer faculty to travel the world sharing knowledge and developing the skills of eye care professionals in underserved communities. Through Cybersight, eye care professionals from all over the world can join training programs and activities, including live lectures and surgeries on board the Flying Eye Hospital.

“Orbis has a long history as a leading nonprofit dedicated to preventing and treating eye diseases around the globe,” Kahook says. “Cybersight has set the standard for online teaching of medical professionals, and the Orbis artificial intelligence team is leading the way in implementing innovative technology to enhance eye care around the world. I look forward to continuing to represent CU through my work with Orbis and serve our combined missions across all of their platforms.”

Kahook is quick to credit the innovative environment in the Department of Ophthalmology.

“The University of Colorado is absolutely the best possible place for innovation,” Kahook says. “When it comes to what I do – medical device and drug delivery innovation as well as novel educational outreach – the resources are here to pursue solutions for all these unmet needs across the globe. We have a very active ecosystem around the campus and through our startups and medical innovators. I feel like we are just getting started.”

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$5 Million NEI Grant to CU-based Cochrane Eyes and Vision US Project Supports Evidence-based Care In August 2022, the National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded a $5 million grant to Tianjing Li, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology, in a continuation of the NEI’s support of the Cochrane Eyes and Vision US Project (CEV@US) at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center. The award is one of the largest NEI grants the CU Department of Ophthalmology has received and ensures CEV@US, which has been at CU Anschutz Medical Campus since 2019, will remain on campus for the next five years.

The CEV@US is a team of US-based researchers and practitioners, led by Li, who review medical literature for content covering interventions and diagnostic tools to prevent, diagnose, or treat eye conditions and visual impairments. The systematic reviews produced help people adjust to visual impairment or blindness. Once a review topic has been identified, Li’s team produces the systematic review, which is then peer reviewed and published in The Cochrane Library.

“The Cochrane Library contains high-quality, independent evidence to inform health care decision-making,” says Li. “These reviews are valuable sources of information for those receiving and providing care, as well as for policymakers and researchers.”

Systematic reviews, unlike narrative reviews, use a highly structured and reproducible methodology to identify, appraise, and synthesize the body of evidence for specific clinical questions. Topics range from antibiotic use for acute bacterial conjunctivitis to a review of routine preoperative testing for cataract surgery to a review on the safety of bevacizumab versus ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Topics for reviews are identified based on gaps in the literature, importance of the topics to influence practice, and from interest and suggestions of patients and experts in the field. These reviews have a nationwide and global impact, Li says.

“Through our partnerships with such organizations as the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), CEV@US reviews inform clinical practice and policy,” says Li. “CEV reviews are used by national and international agencies, guideline developers, patients, and health professionals.”

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SUE ANSCHUTZ-RODGERS EYE CENTER

TI A N J I N G L I , M D , P H D

Since 2002, CEV reviews have supported 121 clinical practice guidelines worldwide, and on average, each CEV review has been cited in two guidelines. CEV@US has supported the update of 19, out of all 23, of the AAO’s Preferred Practice Pattern (PPP) guidelines, which detail the essential characteristics of quality eye care. Across PPPs, 110 CEV reviews have been cited in 116 guideline statements.

“CEV reviews have undoubtedly impacted clinical practice, including private practice,” Li says.

“Approximately 93% of all practicing ophthalmologists in America are AAO members. Over the past five years, using the AAO.org website alone, the PPPs have been downloaded 274,162 times.”

“Immense impact on private practice is also observed in optometry,” Li continues. “A recent survey of 885 members of the American Academy of Optometry found that 80% reported their practice is guided by evidence presented in the PPPs.” “Vision health care should be based on science,” Li says.

“In this era of data deluge, evidence-informed practice is needed more than ever.” The project’s mission to promote informed health care decision-making and research is critical amid the current climate of increasing health care disparities and growth of health care misinformation from online sources.

A New Frontier for Advanced AMD Treatment This year marked a major milestone for patients with geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as the FDA approved two new drugs for the first-ever treatment of the disease.

Along with these treatments comes the promise that the University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmology will be a catalyst for further AMD research and development for the nearly 1.5 million people in the U.S. who are impacted by the advanced form of the disease.

Apellis Pharmaceuticals’ pegcetacoplan injection SYFOVRE became available soon after its February approval, and Iveric Bio’s IZERVAY, another prescription eye injection, was just approved in August. While these are the biggest developments in treatment for advanced AMD patients to date, department chair Naresh Mandava, MD, sees them as just the beginning.

NARESH MANDAVA , M D

“We think this is the start of a whole era of new therapies,” Mandava says. “AMD doesn’t require a treatment that works for 50 years like we need for other diseases, such as diabetes. We’re looking for effective and safe methods, which allow us to intervene sooner before the onset of advanced disease in elderly populations.”

The department is at the center of a robust infrastructure for AMD research, housing one of the country’s largest AMD registries and a longitudinal cohort of patients with early and intermediate AMD, allowing researchers to investigate the role of systemic biomarkers in the disease’s progression.

“The overall objective of the biomarker study is to identify a profile of individuals early in the natural history of the course of AMD who are also at risk of progression to the more advanced forms of this visually disabling disease,” explains Anne Lynch, MD, MSPH, director of the department’s Division of Ophthalmic Epidemiology.

“

It’s been very encouraging for patients who otherwise wouldn’t have any treatment options right now.

”

The AMD registry, supported by the National Institutes of Health and philanthropy, includes more than 1,800 patients and is growing all the time with the help of dynamic recruiting efforts in the eye center and in the community. Discovery in this area holds the promise to unlock earlier and more personalized therapies.

“SYFOVRE’s trial was a success in terms of reducing the speed of growth of the damaged area in the back of the eye,” explains Lynch. “It’s been very encouraging for patients who otherwise wouldn’t have any treatment options right now.”

While much work remains to improve our understanding of AMD, as well as identify more effective therapies, these novel FDA approvals are welcome news for many patients and providers alike.

“We’ve created a platform for discovery, and we’re excited to partner with industry A N N E LYN C H , M D , M S P H and other academic medical centers in the future so that we can accelerate bringing new technologies forward and, ultimately, better vision to our patients with this devastating disease,” Mandava says.

2022-2023 ANNUAL REPORT

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ALL FACULTY

Angela Demetrulias, OD Comprehensive Eye Care Instructor, Ophthalmology

Assistant Professor, Physiology & Biophysics

Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Ophthalmic Oncology Director, ASOPRS Fellowship in Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Galia Deitz, MD, MPH

Jennifer Jung, MD

Daniel Denman, PhD Kaleb Abbott, OD, MS, FAAO Comprehensive Eye Care Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Alison Abraham, PhD, MHS Associate Professor, Epidemiology Colorado School of Public Health

Mariam Ahmad, MD

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Melanie Akau, OD, FAAO Comprehensive Eye Care Medical Director of Staff Education Instructor, Ophthalmology

Christopher Allen, MD Comprehensive Eye Care Instructor, Ophthalmology

Jeffrey Bennett, MD, PhD Neuro-Ophthalmology Professor, Neurology Professor, Opthalmology

Joseph Brzezinski, PhD

CellSight Director, Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, CellSight Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Brian Bucca, OD

Chief of Eye Care at Barbara Davis Center Associate Professor of Clinical Practice, Pediatric Ophthalmology

Eric Michael Hink, MD

Glaucoma Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Marilyn Dougherty, MD

Comprehensive Eye Care Senior Instructor, Ophthalmology

Melissa Engle, OD, FAAO

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Director of Pediatric Optometry Specialty Care Residency Program Director of Clinical Informatics, Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology Instructor, Ophthalmology

Robert Enzenauer, MD, MPH/MSPH Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Brigadier General, Assistant Adjunct General for Space and Missile Defense, Colorado Army National Guard (retired) Professor, Ophthalmology

Michael Erlanger, MD

Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Monica Ertel, MD, PhD

Glaucoma Medical Director, Boulder Satellite Residency Program Director Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Miguel Flores-Bellver, PhD

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus, Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Director, Retinopathy of Prematurity Service Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Malik Kahook, MD

Glaucoma Slater Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Vice Chair, Translational Research Chief, Glaucoma Service Co-Director, Glaucoma Fellowship Professor, Ophthalmology

Jayashree Kalpathy-Cramer, PhD

Artificial Medical Intelligence in Ophthalmology Chief, Division of Artificial Medical Intelligence in Ophthalmology Endowed Chair in Ophthalmic Data Sciences Professor, Ophthalmology

Robert Keyser, MD

Clinical Professor, Ophthalmology

Todd Kingdom, MD

Vice Chair, Clinical Affairs and Quality Director, University of Colorado Sinus Center Director, Rhinology and Sinus Surgery Professor, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, DipABO Comprehensive Eye Care Instructor, Ophthalmology

CellSight Director, ExoSight Lab, CellSight Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Jason Kolfenbach, MD

CellSight Doni Solich Family Chair in Ocular Stem Cell Research Director, CellSight Director, 3DRet Lab, CellSight Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Talisa Forest (de Carlo), MD

Uday Kompella, PhD, FARVO, FAAPS

Cara Capitena Young, MD

Assistant Adjoint Professor

M. Valeria Canto-Soler, PhD

Glaucoma Medical Director, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center Surgery Center Medical Director, Lone Tree Satellite Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Michael Chen, MD

Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery Ophthalmology Division Chief, Denver Health Medical Center Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Karen L. Christopher, MD

Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Medical Director of Imaging Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Carl Frick, PhD

Christopher Gelston, MD

Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Joel Goldstein, MD

Comprehensive Eye Care Associate Professor of Clinical Practice, Ophthalmology

Celeste Gomez, OD

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Instructor, Ophthalmology

Cornea and External Diseases, Refractive Surgery Section Chief of Ophthalmology, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

C. Rob Graef, OD

Karen Cusato, PhD, PA-C

Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery Professor, Ophthalmology

Basic Science Research Research Associate, Ophthalmology

Richard Davidson, MD

Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery Co-Medical Director, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank Co-Director, Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery Fellowship Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs and Quality, UCHealth Eye Centers Endowed Chair in Eye Care Innovation Professor, Ophthalmology

Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Associate Professor, Medicine - Rheumatology Co-Director and Co-Founder, Colorado Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ophthalmology and Bioengineering

Daniel Labarbera, PhD

Professor, School of Pharmacy Director, CU AMC Center for Drug Discovery Co-Director, Drug Discovery and Development Shared Resource (D3SR) Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy

Mary Labowsky, MD

Neuro-Ophthalmology Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Gabriel Lazcano-Gomez, MD, OD Glaucoma Assistant Adjoint Professor, Ophthalmology

Comprehensive Eye Care Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Tim Lei, PhD

Darren Gregory, MD

Tianjing Li, MD, PhD

Kara Hanson, OD, FAAO

Vision Rehabilitation Service Director, Low Vision Rehabilitation Service Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Lynn Hassman, MD, PhD

Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Ophthalmic Epidemiology Director, Cochrane Eyes and Vision US Project Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Sophie Liao, MD

Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Ophthalmic Oncology Robert H. Bell Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Associate Chief Medical Officer - Ambulatory, UCHealth-UCHA Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Andres Lisker, MD

CellSight Research Associate, Ophthalmology

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SUE ANSCHUTZ-RODGERS EYE CENTER

Alison Suhsun Liu, PhD

Jeffrey Olson, MD

Casey Smith, MD

Anne M. Lynch, MD, MSPH

Daniel J. Ozzello, MD

Jesse Smith, MD

Erin Major, OD, FAAO

Alan G. Palestine, MD

Ophthalmic Epidemiology Assistant Research Professor, Ophthalmology Ophthalmic Epidemiology Director, Division of Ophthalmic Epidemiology Professor, Ophthalmology Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Instructor, Ophthalmology

Naresh Mandava, MD

Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Associate Professor, Ophthalmology Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Ophthalmic Oncology Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Chief, Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Section Professor, Ophthalmology

Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Chair, Department of Ophthalmology Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Chair in Retinal Diseases Co-Director, Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Fellowship Professor, Ophthalmology

Mina Pantcheva, MD

Niranjan Manoharan, MD

Jennifer L. Patnaik, PhD

Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Kaweh Mansouri, MD

Professor Adjoint, Ophthalmology

Glaucoma, Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Daewon Park, PhD

Associate Professor, University of Colorado Ophthalmic Epidemiology Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology

Victoria Pelak, MD

Comprehensive Eye Care Instructor, Ophthalmology

Neuro-Ophthalmology Director, Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowship Professor, Neurology Professor, Ophthalmology

Andrew Martin, MD

J. Mark Petrash, PhD

Stephanie Martich, OD

Comprehensive Eye Care Instructor, Ophthalmology

Marc Mathias, MD

Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Director, Laboratory of Advanced Ophthalmic Surgery, CellSight Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Basic Science Research Associate Director of Gates Center Professor, Ophthalmology

Alon Poleg-Polsky, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Physiology & Biophysics

Michael Puente Jr., MD

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Director, Medical Student Education, Department of Ophthalmology Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Emily McCourt, MD

Riaz Qureshi, MD

Rebecca Edwards Mayhew, MD, PhD

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Ponzio Family Chair for Pediatric Ophthalmology Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology Director, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Fellowship Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Stephen McNamara, OD

Artificial Medical Intelligence in Ophthalmology Research Instructor, Ophthalmology

Lauren Mehner, MD, MPH, BA

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Ram Nagaraj, PhD Basic Science Research Professor, Ophthalmology

Maria Nagel, MD

Professor, Department of Neurology Professor, Department of Ophthalmology

Mi-Hyun Nam, PhD Basic Science Research Instructor, Ophthalmology

Scott Oliver, MD

Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery; Ophthalmic Oncology Director, Eye Cancer Program Chief, Retina Service Associate Director, Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Fellowship Vitale-Schlessman Endowed Chair in Retinal Diseases Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Ophthalmic Epidemiology Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Amit Reddy, MD

Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Director, Resident Research Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

William Roberts, MD

Comprehensive Eye Care Senior Instructor, Ophthalmology

Rebecca Sands Braverman, MD

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Jeffrey SooHoo, MD, MBA

Glaucoma Assistant Dean of Admissions, University of Colorado School of Medicine Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, University of Colorado School of Medicine Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Deidre St. Peter, MD

Glaucoma Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Prem Subramanian, MD, PhD

Neuro-Ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Oncology Chief, Neuro-Ophthalmology Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, Ophthalmology Chair, Faculty Promotions Committee Clifford R. and Janice N. Merrill Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Professor, Ophthalmology

Michael Taravella, MD

Cornea and External Diseases, Refractive Surgery, Ophthalmic Oncology Director, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Fellowship Professor, Ophthalmology

Shawna Vanderhoof, OD, FAAO Comprehensive Eye Care Instructor, Ophthalmology

Erin Van Dok, OD

Comprehensive Eye Care Clinical Instructor, Ophthalmology

Natalia Vergara, PhD

CellSight Director, Ocular Development and Translational Technologies Laboratory, CellSight Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Brandie Wagner, PhD

Associate Research Professor, Colorado School of Public Health

Kia Washington, MD

Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Professor, Surgery

Michael Wildes, MD

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery Clinical Director, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Leo Seibold, MD

Trevor Williams, PhD

Glaucoma Medical Director, Colorado Center Satellite Director, Glaucoma Fellowship Professor, Ophthalmology

Delaram Shirazian, OD, FAAO Comprehensive Eye Care Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Praveer Singh, PhD

Artificial Medical Intelligence in Ophthalmology Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

David Simpson, OD, FAAO Vision Rehabilitation Service Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

Associate Professor, School of Dental Medicine

Ronald Wise, MD

Cornea and External Diseases, Refractive Surgery Medical Director, LoDo Satellite Associate Professor of Clinical Practice, Ophthalmology

Chris Yakacki, PhD

Assistant Professor, University of Colorado

Wenbo Zhou, PhD

CellSight Research Associate, Ophthalmology

Joel Zylberberg, PhD

Assistant Adjoint Professor, Physiology & Biophysics

2022-2023 ANNUAL REPORT

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ENDOWED CHAIRS Thank you to those who have made our endowed chair appointments possible, and to the faculty members who carry out our department’s mission. Endowed chairs allow our faculty to engage in specialized research and dedicate their time to elevated academic pursuits.

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RICHARD DAVIDSON, MD

MALIK KAHOOK, MD

Endowed Chair in Eye Care Innovation

Slater Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology

NARESH MANDAVA, MD

EMILY MCCOURT, MD

Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Endowed Chair in Retinal Diseases

Ponzio Family Chair for Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children’s Colorado

SUE ANSCHUTZ-RODGERS EYE CENTER

M. VALERIA CANTO-SOLER, PHD Doni Solich Family Chair in Ocular Stem Cell Research

JAYASHREE KALPATHY-CRAMER, PHD

SOPHIE LIAO, MD

Endowed Chair in Ophthalmic Data Sciences

Robert H. Bell Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology

SCOTT OLIVER, MD

PREM SUBRAMANIAN MD, PHD

Vitale-Schlessman Endowed Chair in Retinal Diseases

Clifford R. and Janice N. Merrill Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology

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