IN THIS ISSUE

Residents' Day Highlights Dr. Gass

Dr. Dianna Redburn New Director of Research

The Department of Ophthlamology at UT Memphis is proud to announce the appointment of Dianna A. Redburn, Ph.D. as Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Research. Dr. Redburn will also serve as Director of Research.

Awards Recognize Faculty for Resident Teaching

Dr. Redburn comes to UT Memphis from the University of Texas at Houston where she held the position of Jules and Doris Stein Research to Prevent Blindness Professor of Ophthalmology. In Houston, she also served as the Director of Basic Researcg as well as Assistant Dean of Research Training for the entire University system.

Dr. Kaswinkel Wins Best Resident Paper Honor

Dr. Redburn is an internationally recognized authority in the biochemical analysis of neurotransmitters which is of great importance in our understanding of retinal development and health. She has conducted her research under the auspices of and with the support on the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health for the past decade. Dr. Redburn is an acknowledged educator and has sponsored numerous pre- and post-doctural fellows in her laboratories.

Appreciation to Clinical Faculty Members at Resident's Day Dinner

Dr. Redburn brings with her NIH/NEI grants supporting research in retinal biochemistry and has already submitted another grant application to the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Steven Kitai, Chairman of Anatomy and Neurobiology contributed substantially to her recrutiment by providing 5,000 square feet in research space in the Wittenberg Building and Dr. Redburn and her staff will continue her investigative research in that location.

Dr. Redburn received her undergraduate education at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, her Ph.D. in in Biology/Neurobiology at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Psychobiology at the Unviersity of California in Irvine. She is the author or co-author of 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals and serves on committees of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience and the American Society for Neurochemistry, among many others.

Dr. Redburn's recruitment to the faculty of UT Memphis Ophthalmology heralds outstanding potential for both instruction and investigation in basic science and its application to clinical research. We hope that you will join us in welcoming her to our academic community.

Dr. J. Donald M. Gass
Kambara Distinguished Visiting Professor

The Annual Alumni/Residents' Day, held Friday, May 31st, was an exciting and intellectually stimulating conference featuring Dr. J. Donald M. Gass as the Kambara Distinguished Visiting Professor. The day began with case presentation to Dr. Gass by members of the faculty and resident staff for comments and discussion by both the Visiting Professor and the conference participants.

The morning session continued with presentation of resident research projects,also discussed by conference attendees.

Dr. Barrett Haik, Chairman and Hamilton Professor, began the afternoon session with the presentation of awards to Dr. Jim Gibb Johnson and Dr. John Duckworth, for their outstanding contributions to the Advisory Council of the Department.

Dr. Haik also presented Dr. Gass with a crystal bowl commemorating his Kambara Lecture "Large Cell Lymphoma Mimicking Other Ocular Syndromes."

Dr. Dianna Redburn, recently appointed Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Research for the Department, presented an overview of her studies in retinal neurotransmitter biochemistry.

The afternoon concluded with scientific presentations by members of the faculty and local ophthalmic community, including Dr.Kevin Blinder, Dr. Alan Schaeffer, Dr. Audrey Tuberville, Dr. Steve Charles and Dr. Richard Sievers.

Awards Recognize Faculty for Resident Teaching;
Alumni for Departmental Service

Two new awards, honoring distinguished faculty of the Department, were presented at the Annual Residents' Day dinner. The recipients were elected by the residents for their contribution to resident education.

The Roger L. Hiatt, M.D. Award, named in honor of the former Chairman of the Department, was presented to Dr. R. Christopher Walton, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, for his dedication to resident teaching. The Phillip M. Lewis, M.D. Award, honoring Dr. Lewis' contributions to the Department, was presented to Dr. James C. Fleming, also Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology as the clinical faculty member contributing most to resident instruction. These honors will be awarded annually, and the recipients listed on a permanent plaque in the Department's conference room/library.

At the same meeting, Dr. Ralph S. Hamilton received an award honoring his continuing service and support to the Deaprtment, and Dr. Fletcher H. Goode was recognized as the Distinguished Alumni of the Year.

FACULTY FORUM

James C. Fleming, M.D. has recently completed his term as President of the Memphis-Shelby County Medical Society and was eleveted President of the Tennesseee Academy of Ophthalmology for 1996-1997.

Jerre M. Freeman, M.D. received the Distinguished Service Award from the Tennessee Medical Association for his continuing work with the World Cataract Lens PRoject, an international nonprofit health organization which focuses on preventing cataract blindness in developing countries.

Dianna A. Redburn, Ph.D. presented the commencement addresss at Centenary College of Louisiana, her alma matter.

Gregory S. Carroll, M.D. attended a planning meeting of the Collaborative Retinoblastoma Treatment Trial in Toronto, Canada. This international consortium will develop a new chemotherapy protocol for treatment of children with this ocular cancer.

Mary E. Smith, MPH, RDMS has been elected Educational Chair of the Memphis Regional Chapter of the Tennessee Ophthalmology Personnel Society (TOPS).

Second Annual TOPS Update
Well Attended and Well Received

The Second Annual Update for members of the Tennessee Ophthalmic Personnel Society (TOPS) received high praise from its attendees. The program, featuring faculty members of UT Ophthalmology, covered a wide spectrum of topics with particular appeal to ophthalmic assistants and technicians in our community. Of great interest was Dr. Stephen Scoper's presentation on "Refractive Surgery" and Dr. Chris Fleming's discussion of "Facial Resurfacing Techniques".

Registrants were also appraised of recent developments in diagnostic ultrasonography by Ms. Mary Smith, magnetic resonance imaging by Dr. Barrett Haik and ocular manifestations of rheumatic disease by Dr. Chris Walton.

This Update, co-sponsored by TOPS and UT, serves a specific educational need in the region. Planning for next year's TOPS Update is already underway and collaboration on additional seminars in the future is anticipated.

Dr. Kaswinkel Wins Best Resident Paper Honor

Dr. Daryl Kaswinkle's paper, " Excimer Laser and Myopia" was selected as the best resident presentation at the Annual Alumni/Resident's Day. Dr. Kaswinkle's project was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Ralph F. Hamilton and discussed the application od this new technique to patients with nearsightedness.

Other resident presentations included: "Sickle Cell Orbitopathy" by Dr. Edward Curran, co-authored by Dr. James C. Fleming; "Preoperative laboratory Screening in Patients undergoing Anterior Segment Surgery" by Dr. Christopher Devine, co-authored by Dr. R. Christopher Walton; "Bilateral Optic Neuritis following Influenza Vaccination" by Dr. Catherine Durboraw, co-authored by Dr.Richard D. Drewry; and "Ophthalmic Findings in Suspected Child Abuse Cases" by Dr. James Loden, co-authored by Dr. Kathryn Byrd.

Drs. Loden and Byrd's paper is being prepared for submission to the Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

The panel evaluating the presentations and selecting the winer consisted of Dr. Ralph S. Hamilton, Dr. R. Christopher Walton and Dr. J. Donald M. Gass, the Kambara Distinguished Visiting Professor.

A note of appreciation to our clinical faculty members at the
Annual Residents' Day dinner

Clinical Faculty Provide Diversity and Depth to Resident Instruction

The Department relies heavily on the experience and expertise of volunteer faculty members for comprehensive resident education, in the form of didactce lectures, sclinical instruction and surgical supervision. The folowing individuals were recognized for their continuing contribution by presentation of a certificate of appreciation during the Annual Residents' Day dinner:

John D. Armstrong, M.D.

William David Irvine, M.D.

Howard L. Beale, M.D.

Andrew M. Krauss, M.D.

Kevin J. Blinder, M.D.

Sidney H. Kriger, M.D.

Steve Charles, M.D.

William F. Murrah, M.D.

Thomas A. Currey, M.D.

Gary A. Passons, M.D.

Roger L. Deshaies, M.D.

Thomas H. Pratt, M.D.

Jerre M. Freeman, M.D.

Alan R. Schaeffer, M.D.

Thomas C. Gettelfinger, M.D.

Edmond H. Thall, M.D.

Ralph F. Hamilton, M.D.

Richard E. Sievers, M.D.

J. Charles Henry, M.D.

Thomas O. Wood, M.D.

Bruce W. Herndon, M.D.

Seth L. Yoser, M.D.

Ben F. House, M.D.

We express our sincere gratitude to these physicians for their efforts during the past year and hope that we may count on their continued support in the future.