President
Doheny Professional Alumni Association
A New Year of Celebrating our Alumni
Happy New Year!
With the holidays now a few weeks behind us, Doheny Eye Institute is full steam ahead – both with continuing critical research in the laboratories and also planning our many highly-anticipated annual meetings, symposiums, alumni gatherings and more.
As we are eagerly awaiting our next opportunity to gather in person with you, our highly valued Doheny Professional Alumni Association members, I am thrilled to announce that two members of our Doheny family will be recognized at events this March.
Narsing Rao, MD, will be inducted to the Doheny Society of Scholars. Late Doheny President, Stephen Ryan, MD, established the elite society to honor those scholars whose skill and dedication at Doheny have advanced the field of ophthalmology.
Larry Chong, MD, has been selected as the 2024 Doheny Distinguished Alumnus. Dr. Chong was chosen by the alumni association board of directors because he exemplifies the spirit of Doheny Eye Institute, embodying the values and principles that define our institution.
Both Dr. Rao and Dr. Chong are shining examples of the excellence fostered within our community. I invite you to join us when we honor them on Sat., March 23. Dr. Rao will present a keynote lecture and will be inducted to the Society during the Annual Doheny CME meeting at Doheny Eye Institute. We hope you will join us immediately after for the annual Alumni Dinner when we present Dr. Chong the Distinguished Alumnus award.
I’m proud to note that Doheny alumni have created a lasting impact to the profession and the broader community. We hope that in the meantime you’ll continue to share your professional and personal achievements with us.
If you have any subspecialty updates or would like to provide an editorial to be included in an upcoming newsletter, we encourage you to share it with us!
We’d also love to highlight a section called “Where are you now?” in an upcoming newsletter. We’re putting out a call to all alumni whose class graduating year ends in a “4” (i.e., class of 2014, 2004, 1994, etc.) to please share updates with us on your current practice, about your family and any pictures from your time at Doheny!
Last, but not least, voting will open soon for the annual U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Ophthalmology survey. We’ve included more information below about how you can show your support for Doheny Eye Institute.
From all of us at Doheny, thank you for your continued support. We look forward to another wonderful year as we all work toward supporting each other and tending to the precious sense of sight.
President
Doheny Professional Alumni Association
Narsing Rao, MD, to Be Inducted into the Doheny Society of Scholars
We are pleased to share that Narsing Rao, MD, who has dedicated over five decades to advancing eye care through exemplary achievements in education, research and clinical practice, will be inducted into the Doheny Society of Scholars at a ceremony during the Annual Doheny CME Conference to be held on Sat., March 23 at Doheny Eye Institute.
The Doheny Society of Scholars was established in 2008 to recognize the contributions and leadership of fellows, residents, faculty, and international scholars who trained or taught at Doheny and then went on to major leadership positions in American and international ophthalmology. The group is composed of department chairs, presidents of national and international ophthalmological societies, and other key leaders in vision science and education who are driving eye-related research for overcoming vision disorders.
Dr. Rao received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. He completed residencies in pathology and ophthalmology at Georgetown University and a fellowship in ophthalmic pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, D.C. Dr. Rao was recruited to Doheny Eye Institute in 1983 as the director of pathology and associate professor of ophthalmology and pathology at USC. He was promoted to professor of ophthalmology and pathology in 1986, and from 2006-2013 held the Rupert and Gertrude I. Stieger Vision Research Endowed Chair at Doheny Eye Institute.
Board-certified by the American Board of Pathology (1974) and the American Board of Ophthalmology (1977), Dr. Rao holds medical licensures in California, Texas, Georgia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. His academic journey includes noteworthy honors, such as the G. Venkataswamy Memorial Award and the International Gold Award of the Chinese Ophthalmological Society.
Serving as professor and chairman of the Ophthalmology Department, Dr. Rao holds the Grace and Emery Beardsley Chair in Ophthalmology and co-directs the USC Roski Eye Institute. Notably, he assumed the role of Interim Dean at USC-Keck School of Medicine from 2020 to 2021.
A prolific researcher, Dr. Rao’s contributions to ophthalmic pathology have earned him numerous awards, including the Steven Foster Ocular Immunology & Inflammation Award (2021) and the Lorenz E. Zimmerman Gold Medal. He has published over 500 peer-reviewed articles, numerous book chapters, and seven books on ophthalmic diseases including the American Registry of Pathology-AFIP fascicle on Tumors of the Eye and Ocular Adnexa.
Dr. Rao’s commitment to education is evident in his extensive teaching experience, mentoring postgraduate trainees, and faculty. He has chaired various committees and served on editorial boards, showcasing his dedication to advancing knowledge in ocular inflammation and infections.
Dr. Narsing Rao stands as a paragon in the field of ophthalmology, blending a rich academic history, exemplary clinical practice, and groundbreaking research, leaving an indelible mark on Doheny Eye Institute and the global eye care community. For his accomplishments and deep commitment to the field of ophthalmology, we are proud to induct Dr. Rao to the Doheny Eye Institute Society of Scholars.
Lawrence P. Chong, MD, is the Newest Doheny Distinguished Alumnus
Each year, the Doheny Professional Alumni Association board of directors selects a recipient who exemplifies the values and principles that define Doheny Eye Institute. Please join us in congratulating Lawrence P. Chong, MD, for being named the 2024 Doheny Distinguished Alumnus.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dr. Chong earned his bachelor’s degree from USC and was Valedictorian of his class (1977), going on to receive his medical degree at Harvard Medical School (1981).
After a medicine internship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (1982), Dr. Chong did an ophthalmology residency at the Doheny Eye Institute, where his chairman was Dr. Stephen Ryan. After completing his residency in 1985, Dr. Chong went to Duke University where he trained in vitreo-retinal surgery.
Dr. Chong returned to Doheny/USC as chief resident in 1986 and joined the faculty at USC from 1989 through 2009. During this time, he rose to the rank of professor of ophthalmology and director of the retina service where he trained over 30 fellows in vitreous surgery – of which, one-third remain in academic positions around the world.
During his tenure at Doheny, Dr. Chong’s research interests included the treatment of opportunistic eye infections in AIDS, the clinical application of intraocular drug delivery systems, micro-pulse diode laser systems, clinical applications of 25-gauge vitrectomy systems, and quantitative analysis of mechanisms of vitreous cutting.
Dr. Chong has been privileged to receive research fellows from all over the world, especially Brazil where there is an annual meeting held in his honor, called ‘Chong’s Brazilian Friends.’ He is a member of the Club Jules Gonin, the Retina Society, and the American Society of Retina Specialists. He is the editor of the Surgical Video Section of the electronic edition of Stephen Ryan’s textbook Retina. Dr. Chong is an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology and Archives of Ophthalmology. He has authored over 65 peer-reviewed publications, 11 book chapters, and 2 books. For several years, Dr. Chong has been voted to Super Doctors.
Currently, Dr. Chong is in private practice in Huntington Beach, CA. He remains affiliated with Doheny as a clinical professor of ophthalmology. Dr. Chong is also on staff at Hoag Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center, Newport Bay Surgical Center and Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. His current research interest is the role of combination anti-VEGF /photodynamic therapy for rescue therapy of wet age-related macular degeneration.
His wide-reaching impact in the field of ophthalmology is highly regarded and truly exemplifies the values of Doheny. We are proud to name him our newest Distinguished Alumnus.
Voting Opens Soon for U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Ophthalmology Reception at AAO
Please help ensure our vision-science institute is recognized by first confirming your voting eligibility online, which includes adding your board certification end date to your Doximity profile. You can read more about voting eligibility criteria here. Once you confirm you are eligible, you can vote at this link.
The U.S. News & World Report annual analysis and ranking helps inform critical eye care decisions made by millions of people every year. We are honored to partner with you to advance important research and education that improves care for your patients, and we hope you will attest to the impact that Doheny Eye Institute has in ophthalmology by supporting us in this year’s U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for Ophthalmology survey. The survey will be available on Doximity soon.
Doheny Events
Highlights from AAO 2023
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2023 Annual Meeting took place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from November 4 – 6, 2023.
For the first time in both organizations’ histories, Doheny and Stein Eye Institutes shared a booth to highlight the work of our physicians, recruit for open faculty positions, and provide information to prospective residents, fellows, and faculty about our respective organizations.
Doheny and Stein Eye staff welcomed over 900 visitors to the booth and provided branded goodies to build awareness and generate additional leads as visitors return to their respective institutions across the country.
We were also thrilled to welcome many of our alumni at the annual Doheny and Stein Eye Institutes Alumni Reception during AAO, which was held on November 5.
It was a lively evening and a wonderful opportunity to catch up and network with new acquaintances.
2nd Annual Doheny-UCLA International Retina Symposium
The 2nd Annual Doheny-UCLA International Retina Symposium is just around the corner, on Sat., Jan. 27 at the Doheny Eye Institute campus in Pasadena, CA. This course will be co-directed by Michael Ip, MD, and Kirk Hou, MD, PhD. The objectives of the course are to explain new imaging technology benefits in the treatment and diagnosis of retinal vascular and choroidal vascular disease, as well as to introduce newer and updated therapeutics for neovascular AMD, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, and retinal vein occlusion.
Keynote lectures will be presented by Lee Jampol, MD, who is the Louis Feinberg, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at Northwestern, and Usha Chakravarthy, MD, PhD, CBE, professor of ophthalmology and vision sciences in the Queen’s University of Belfast.
To view the full program and to register, please click here.
Annual Doheny CME Conference & Society of Scholars Ceremony
We cordially invite you to join us for the annual Doheny CME Conference & Society of Scholars Ceremony featuring Doheny alumni as course faculty. The meeting will be held on March 23 at Doheny Eye Institute. This conference will cover a wide range of ophthalmic topics in neuro-ophthalmology, uveitis, and cornea. The course faculty include Doheny alumni, Doheny and Stein faculty, and Neil Miller, MD, the Frank B. Walsh Professor of Neuro-Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, will present the Irvine Lecture. In a special ceremony, Narsing Rao, MD, will be inducted to the Doheny Society of Scholars.
Sat., March 23, 2024
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The Conference Center at Doheny Eye Institute
150 N. Orange Grove Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103
Distinguished Alumni Dinner
The Doheny Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented annually to one of our alumni colleagues who has distinguished his/herself in the field of ophthalmology. This year, we honor Lawrence P. Chong, MD, who is currently in private practice in Orange County, CA. Dr. Chong’s service to Doheny Eye Institute spanned two decades. As the director of the retina service and the retina fellowship program, he trained more than 30 retina clinical fellows. Dr. Chong has authored over 65 peer-reviewed publications, 11 book chapters, and 2 books. For his commitment to teaching and clinical work, Dr. Chong has garnered the respect of his peers.
Formal invites will be sent out in the coming weeks – please keep your eye out!
Sat., March 23, 2024
Beginning at 6:00 pm
Annandale Country Club
1 N San Rafael Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105
All Eyes on ARVO 2024
Planning for our presence at ARVO 2024 is well underway! This year’s annual meeting will take place from May 5-9 in Seattle.
We hope you will join us on Sunday, May 5 at 6:30 a.m. for the annual Doheny Breakfast Forum at the Grand Hyatt Seattle. Additional details about the meeting with a registration link are forthcoming.
After such a successful onsite presence in 2023, you can expect to see Doheny and UCLA Stein Eye Institutes together again in a shared booth, and, while the official lineup of presentations has not yet been finalized, we are confident there will be a healthy representation for Doheny once again.
We are also especially thrilled to see our own SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, step into his role as ARVO President upon the conclusion of this year’s meeting.
In the coming months, we will have more information to share about our booth number, the presentation schedule of our Doheny researchers, and details about our annual Alumni Reception. We encourage you to check our Doheny events page for updated information on how to RSVP for our ARVO events.
A Glimpse of Doheny Research Advances from the Last Year
Saving human eyesight has been the core mission of Doheny Eye Institute for more than 75 years, and today Doheny is world-renowned for its valuable contributions toward understanding and treating ocular diseases.
Led by CEO Marissa Goldberg and Chief Scientific Officer Deborah A. Ferrington, PhD, the world-class scientists at Doheny are actively investigating an array of diseases that cause vision loss and blindness, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Stargardt disease, and Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Over the last few years, Doheny scientists have developed novel eye imaging equipment and computer-based retinal image analysis used with artificial intelligence (AI), identified retinal biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease, and developed multiple models of ocular disease.
This incredible commitment to groundbreaking research continued throughout 2023. Several notable accomplishments our scientists have been able to achieve include:
- Faculty at Doheny and UCLA used advanced computational tools to discover why patients with LHON, caused by a genetic mutation that results in defective mitochondria, go blind.
- Doheny scientists discovered a novel mechanism revealing how retinal cells preserve cellular energy by lowering their activity to avoid cell death.
- Multiple Doheny-led studies focus on AMD, the leading cause of blindness among the elderly, for which there are limited treatment options. These investigations aim to clarify the causes of AMD and provide insight into new treatments that would reverse these changes by:
- Examining why blood vessels in the outer retinal layer deteriorate at an early stage of AMD;
- Determining how oxidative stress contributes to the development of AMD and finding antioxidants that could be used as treatments; and
- Developing a personalized medicine approach for treating AMD by making retinal cells from patient-derived stem cells to study the disease mechanism and test drugs.
- Doheny scientists are building state-of-the-art, high-resolution retinal imaging instruments capable of visualizing single cells in the retina of patients with ocular disease.
- AI-based algorithms are being developed to analyze retinal images of AMD and Stargardt patients to predict the rate of disease progression, an important piece of information for clinicians as well as their patients.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the innovative research happening at Doheny every day that could have major implications for the understanding of eye disease, finding effective therapies and the overall future of vision care.
Reminder to Join or Renew Your Alumni Membership!
Your dues support clinical and research fellows through scholarships, underwriting courses and lectures, and gifting educational material or equipment.
As a reminder, PAA member benefits include:
- Invitation to the alumni receptions at the Annual American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meetings
- Invitation to the Annual Alumni Dinner, including a discounted registration fee
- Free registration for one Doheny CME conference of your choice ($100 savings)
- Quarterly Eye on Doheny Alumni eNewsletter to keep you connected to Doheny and fellow alumni