Dr. Michael Ip Joins Doheny Eye Institute

Los Angeles (June 22, 2016) – Doheny Eye Institute, a top-ranked nonprofit organization proudly affiliated with UCLA Stein Eye Institute and dedicated to furthering the conservation, improvement and restoration of human eyesight since 1947, is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Michael Ip. Dr. Ip, a retinal surgeon and researcher, will join the esteemed clinical care and clinical research teams at Doheny Eye Institute and the Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC).

Dr. Ip joins Doheny from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he served as a member of the faculty since 1999. Most recently, he held the position of co-director at the Fundus Photograph Reading Center within the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Dr. Ip has also participated in numerous clinical trials throughout his career, including his role as the national principal investigator of the Standard Care vs. Corticosteroid for Retinal Vein Occlusion (SCORE) Study and the national co-principal investigator of the SCORE2 Study.

“We are thrilled to add such a talented and respected member of the ophthalmology community to the Doheny family,” said Dr. SriniVas (Vas) Sadda, President and CSO of Doheny Eye Institute. “Dr. Ip is a respected clinician and researcher in our field, and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our core mission of improving eyesight for our patients around the world.”

Dr. Ip will serve as the Medical Director of the DIRC, working alongside a distinguished team including Dr. SriniVas (Vas) Sadda, Dr. Vikas Chopra and Dr. Olivia L. Lee. Among the many functions of the DIRC is the generation of useful and correlative data to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of potential new treatments, and the validation of non-invasive imaging techniques in the monitoring and management of ophthalmic diseases. Dr. Ip will play a pivotal role in continuing clinical trials in ophthalmology within the DIRC, and further establishing the DIRC as one of the top ophthalmology research centers in the world.

“The Doheny name carries profound meaning within the eye care and vision research world, and it’s an honor to work alongside this team and leaders in the field such as Dr. Sadda,” said Dr. Michael Ip. “I believe in the mission of the DIRC and the value of research to both complement and further Doheny’s clinical capabilities. I look forward to lending my expertise in both of these areas and expanding our capacity for clinical trials at the DIRC and at the Doheny clinical offices.”

Dr. Ip joins Doheny at a pivotal time in the organization’s history, having recently embarked on a new 99-year affiliation agreement with the UCLA Stein Eye Institute. This affiliation combines the strength, reputation, and distinction of two of the nation’s top eye institutions. Prior to their affiliation, and for more than two decades, these two vision institutes were consistently ranked among the top 5 and top 10 eye institutes in the country. Together they are forging a preeminent capability to advance vision research, education, and patient care across Southern California.

Since the affiliation was enacted in December of 2013, the Doheny-UCLA-Stein affiliation is already off to a remarkably successful start, having: (1) integrated the team of extraordinary doctors and scientists historically affiliated with Doheny; (2) strengthened its research and clinical collaboration with colleagues at UCLA’s Stein Eye Institute; (3) upgraded its vision research center and (4) opened Doheny Eye Center UCLA patient clinics in Arcadia, Orange County, and Pasadena.

Originally the Beckman Initiative for Macular Research, Dr. Ryan founded the program with the support of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Dr. Arnold O. Beckman understood the power of great intellect and commitment, both of which he saw in Dr. Ryan, whom he met when seeking treatment for macular disease. Dr. Ryan also had great admiration for Dr. Beckman, a scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, and founder of Beckman Instruments, Inc., whose products revolutionized science and medicine.

“The new name – the Stephen J. Ryan Initiative for Macular Research – emphasizes our appreciation for Dr. Ryan’s leadership and pioneering work in the field of retinal research,” said SriniVas Sadda, M.D., Doheny Eye Institute’s President and Chief Scientific Officer. “He left an indelible mark on ophthalmology and on the lives of those who were lucky enough to work under him.”

An internationally recognized expert in the field of retinal diseases and ocular trauma, Dr. Ryan was an icon in ophthalmology — an exemplary leader and caring mentor, charismatic, energetic, intelligent, and visionary. His impact was boundless; his research, teaching, mentorship, and clinical practice forever changed how these conditions are treated. He advocated for federally-funded vision research on Capitol Hill, and edited the textbook RETINA, considered by generations of ophthalmologists as their primary source for research and clinical insights.

Dr. Ryan was a leader of the esteemed Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and chaired world ophthalmology congresses in Sao Paulo, Berlin, and Hong Kong. In the winter before his death, Dr. Ryan was recognized as a “Laureate of the America Academy of Ophthalmology,” their single highest honor.
The new name is effective immediately, and will be fully implemented across the program’s website and communications before the program’s 9th annual conference in January, 2017.

About Doheny Eye Institute
The Doheny Eye Institute, established in 1947, is a top 5-ranked nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation, improvement, and restoration of human eyesight. Recognized as an outstanding center for vision research and education, the Doheny Eye Institute has emerged as a world leader in basic and clinical vision research. The institute is renowned for its innovative research, which has led to new diagnostic and treatment procedures and is internationally regarded for changing people’s lives by improving their sight.

About Doheny Image Reading Center
The Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC) leads the way in supporting clinical researchers in the characterization and quantification of ophthalmic disease, with ever greater reliability. Using the latest imaging technology and employing standardized approaches to retinal image grading, DIRC provides new opportunities to use clinical imaging outcomes in the study and validation of new treatments. Established at Doheny Eye Institute in 2003 under the direction of SriniVas Sadda, MD, DIRC has served as the centralized Reading Center for a large number of clinical trials spanning a variety of diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, geographic atrophy, diabetic retinopathy, vein occlusions, macular ischemia, vitreomacular interface disease, retinal detachment, hereditary macular degeneration and peripheral retinal degeneration. Dr. Sadda’s expertise and research interests have allowed DIRC to establish itself as a driving force in retina research, while new research areas and ongoing clinical trial support now include glaucoma, anterior chamber, cornea and ocular surface/tear film.