| In Memorium - Michael J. Crimi |  |
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On July 24, 2009, the Institute lost a dear and devoted friend, Michael Crimi. Mr. Crimi was a member of the board of directors as a trustee for more than ten years, and served as Chairman in the late ‘80s to early '90s. After stepping down from the board in 1995, he assumed the title of “honorary trustee,” which he held until his passing. Mr. Crimi was the former president of Wheelan Enterprises, Inc., a company that specialized in non-residential buildings and wholesale automobiles. He became a passionate advocate of vision research following his treatment by Dr. Charles Schepens for a detached retina. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to help accelerate the discovery of new therapies as well as foster new connections for the Institute. In February, Mr. Crimi sponsored a special session of our annual Florida Symposia Series on John's Island. Because of this event, we were able to make many new friends and introduced a new group to the wonderful work the Institute is doing for those living with vision loss. The Institute is fortunate to have had the leadership and insights of this dedicated advocate, true friend and valued member of the board. Mr. Crimi, preceded in death by his first wife Patti, leaves behind his wife, Marilyn, his children: Michael, Robert, Gary, Pamela and Carolyn and seven grandchildren. |
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A letter from the Chairman of the Board |
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Dear friends, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for your generous support of Schepens Eye Research Institute's 2009 annual campaign. We deeply appreciate your participation in keeping this critical research moving forward. In spite of this year’s economic difficulty, our family of donors has risen to the challenge. You are a tremendous part of our success! Thank you again. As you are aware, the infrastructure for our new Centers of Excellence is in place: the Age-Related Macular Degeneration Center, the Minda de Gunzburg Center for Ocular Regeneration, the Mobility Enhancement and Rehabilitation Center, and the Center for Corneal and External Eye Disease Research. As a result, a stronger Institute emerges through research collaboration, and the interfacing of our Schepens scientists to drive discovery from bench to the clinic more rapidly. The disease-focused structure also provides an extraordinary catalyst for potential private and federal funding to support the Institute into the future. This is a very exciting time for everyone involved with Schepens Eye Research Institute. Your participation is essential in realizing the goals of the new Centers of Excellence, and ultimately taking blindness out of the picture for the millions with eye disease. I invite you to join me for Schepens Eye Research Institute’s 2009 annual meeting, Friday, October 16, 2009. I look forward to sharing more exciting information with you at that time. |
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Again, thank you!
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| Schepens Scientists Honored for Achievements | ||||
This summer, four Schepens scientists have received special recognition for their leadership and contributions to the fight against blinding diseases--Drs. Reza Dana, Andrius Kazlauskas, Meredith Gregory-Ksander, and Eli Peli. While awards are not the goal of our faculty or the mission of the Institute, they are important external validation of the truly exceptional and critical work we are doing here to advance the scientific basis for new treatments and cures. Please join in congratulating them. Here are their stories: |
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Schepens Eye Research Institute Senior Scientist & W. Clement Stone Scholar, Dr. Reza Dana, received the Lew R. Wasserman Award for basic science from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB). Established in 1995, the RPB Lew R. Wasserman Merit Awards provide unrestricted support to mid-career M.D. and Ph.D. scientists who hold primary positions within departments of ophthalmology and who are actively engaged in eye research at medical institutions in the United States. This is the third time Dr. Dana has been honored by Research to Prevent Blindness. |
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On June 5, 2009 Schepens senior scientist Dr. Andrius Kazlauskas was honored by his alma mater Cleveland State University. Dr. Kazlauskas was one of eight outstanding alumni honored for their service, leadership and career achievements at the school's 19th annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner. Dr. Andrius Kazlauskas focused his graduate work at Cleveland State on signal transduction, a field that involves studying the intracellular biochemical reactions that are induced by growth factors and that then go on to direct cellular responses such as proliferation. He went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. He has held academic appointments at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He has made hundreds of presentations, and has been published more than 120 times in such prestigious scientific journals as Science and the New England Journal of Medicine. Currently, he is the principal investigator on three federal and four foundation grants, including a Lew R. Wasserman Merit Award from the Research to Prevent Blindness Foundation. |
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Dr. Meredith Gregory-Ksander, an Associate Scientist at the Institute, has been named 2009 Sybil B. Harrington Special Scholar by Research to Prevent Blindness. She will share this honor with Dr. David Zacks of University of Michigan School of Medicine. This is particularly momentous for our faculty, since this award has been given to Schepens Eye Research Institute two years in a row. Dr. Michael Young was named the Sybil B. Harrington Special Scholar in 2008. Named for the famous Amarillo, TX philanthropist, The Sybil B. Harrington Special Scholar Award is part of the Research to Prevent Blindness Special Scholar Award series. These awards range in amount from $50K - $70K and are awarded each spring to "encourage promising young ophthalmic researchers." To qualify for these awards, nominees must be Assistant Professors with a primary appointment in the department of ophthalmology. Only one Scholars Award candidate per organization may be nominated per spring review cycle. Click here to learn more about Dr. Gregory-Ksander's research |
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This summer, Schepens Senior Scientist, Dr. Eli Peli received the prestigious William Feinbloom Award. This annual award is named for the "Father of Low Vision Rehabilitation," Dr. William Feinbloom, and recognizes a person who has made a distinguished and significant contribution to clinical excellence and the direct clinical advancement of visual and optometric service, and thus the visual enhancement of the public. Dr. Peli will be recognized at a special award ceremony in Orlando this November. |
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September 17, 2009 |
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Seating is limited. Please register by calling Ann Marie Ware at (617) 912-2573 or 1-877-724-3736, |
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| Click here to register on-line now | ||||
| Vision of Beauty Luncheon | ||||
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 Hosted by the Palm Beach Friends of the Schepens at The Mar-A-Lago Club |
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With special guests of honor |
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| Early-bird reservations now available at $195 per person through October 15th, $250 thereafter. | ||||
| Click here to register on-line now | ||||
