|
Scientists shed light on genetic eye abnormality that makes eyes slow to adjust to
brightness
Study described in the Jan. 1 issue of "Nature"
Contact: Mary E. Leach
(617) 573-4170
Boston, Mass.(Dec.
31, 2003) - While many individuals complain
of difficulty adjusting to bright light, scientists have had little success
in identifying an abnormality in the retina that causes this symptom.
A research team led by scientists at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
has identified genetic defects in five unrelated individuals that interfere
with the ability of cells in the eye to quickly adjust to changes in light
intensity. Their work is described in the Jan. 1 issue of Nature.
Researchers from the three laboratories located at the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary, the Ocular Molecular Genetics Institute (Thaddeus Dryja,
Koji Nishiguchi and Stephanie Hagstrom), the Berman-Gund Laboratory for
the Study of Retinal Degenerations (Eliot Berson and Michael Sandberg),
and the Howe Laboratory (Vadim Arshavsky and Kirill Martemyanov), and
from the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Groningen in
the Netherlands (Aart Kooijman and Jan Willem Pott), recently discovered
a biologic basis for slow adaptation to light in some individuals. The
photoreceptor cells in the eyes of normal individuals quickly respond
to light and also quickly recover after exposure to light. Theoretically,
it is possible to have defect in either the activation or the deactivation
of the photoreceptor's light response. In the past, many defects in the
activation phase have been found, and these typically lead to marked abnormalities
in vision. This is the first report of patients with a problem with the
deactivation of photoreceptors.
"In 1991 in the Netherlands, some patients were
identified with abnormal recovery from the influence of strong light flashes.
For example, they reported difficulty in playing ball games because they
could not see a moving ball. With sudden changes in luminance, like that
caused by going from inside to outside on a sunny day, these patients
are essentially blind for five to 10 seconds," said Dr. Kooijman
from the University of Groningen. While some patients with cataracts can
have related symptoms, these individuals had no cataracts.
"We found that their symptoms are due to defects
in proteins that normally function to deactivate photoreceptors after
exposure to light. These defects were due to defects in proteins that
normally function to deactivate photoreceptors after exposure to light.
The disease was due to mutations in the gene encoding these proteins,"
said Dr. Dryja from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Harvard
Medical School.
There is no cure for this condition; however, dark
glasses to reduce exposure to bright light appear to be helpful. Those
who experience extreme difficulty in adjusting to changes in light should
consult with their physician. While the authors believe that these gene
defects are uncommon, their discovery may provide clues to the basis for
the milder difficulties that many individual experience when trying to
adapt to changes in light intensity.
This study was supported by the National Institutes
of Health (National Eye Institute), the Foundation Fighting Blindness,
Owings Mills, Maryland, and the American Heart Association. The Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary is an international center for treatment and research
and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. For more information,
call (617) 523-7900 or TDD (617) 523-5498 or visit www.meei.harvard.edu.
Return to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Physicians Elect New President
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 15, 2003) - Michael
J. McKenna, M.D., associate professor of otology and laryngology at the
Harvard Medical School and a resident of Southborough, Mass., was recently
named president of the medical staff at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary.
Dr. McKenna first came to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1989
as full-time staff member after receiving an academic appointment in the
department of otology and laryngology at Harvard Medical School. In the
last 15 years, he has practiced strictly in otology, neurotology and skull
base surgery.
"Throughout his career, he has played a critical role in the education
and training of Harvard Medical students, residents in otolaryngology,
and both clinical and research fellows," says Infirmary Chief of
Otolaryngology Joseph B. Nadol Jr., M.D.
Dr. McKenna is a member of several professional societies including the
New England Otolaryngological Society, American Otological Society, American
Neurotology Society and most recently, the Collegium Oto-Rhino-Laryngologicum.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Matthew
Lorber Elected Trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 10, 2003) - Matthew
Lorber, a resident of Westwood, Mass., has been elected to a five- year
term as a trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Inc.
Mr. Lorber is the co-founder, president and CEO of Copley Controls, a
worldwide leader in MRI Gradient Systems and high performance motion controls.
He also co-founded Analog Devices, a Fortune 500 electronics manufacturer.
Mr. Lorber is married to Susan Lorber and they have a daughter, Janie.
An avid skier, Mr. Lorber enjoys going to Red Sox games and playing golf.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Robert
P. Fitzgerald Elected Trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 10, 2003) - Robert
P. Fitzgerald, a resident of Boston, Mass., has been elected to a five-year
term as trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Inc.
Mr. Fitzgerald is senior vice-president at Acordia, Inc., a Chicago-based
insurance firm. Prior to that, Mr. Fitzgerald was an executive at Coroon
and Black Insurance Inc., and CEO of Harbor National Bank.
Mr. Fitzgerald has been highly active in the community, supporting and
serving such organizations as the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, the American
Cancer Society and as a trustee of Boston Latin School. Mr. Fitzgerald
has also been involved as a fundraising coordinator with Sen. Edward M.
Kennedy's campaigns since 1962.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Terence
Wong Elected Trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 10, 2003) - Terence
Wong, a resident of Cambridge, Mass., has been elected to a five-year
term as a trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Inc.
Mr. Wong, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the
Sloan School of Management, has been an executive at Supercon, Inc., a
specialty wire manufacturer, since 1993. In addition to serving as vice-president,
Mr. Wong is a co-inventor on three patents, has served as principle investigator
on multiple grants from the DOE and NSF, and has published 18 technical
papers.
In his spare time, Mr. Wong enjoys ultimate frisbee, skiing, cooking,
and spending time with his family.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Good
and Bad Fats Linked to Progression of Age-related Macular Degeneration
Contact: Michele P. Gorham
(617) 573-3341
Michele_gorham@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (Dec. 8, 2003) - Higher
levels of good dietary fat, including fish and nuts, have been found to
diminish the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and
bad fat, such as processed baked goods, increase the progression to the
advanced stages of the disease that is associated with vision loss. AMD
is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment in the United
States. The findings are published in a paper in the December issue of
the Archives of Ophthalmology.
In the first study designed to evaluate dietary fat intake and the progression
of AMD, Johanna M. Seddon, M.D., ScM, lead author and director of the
Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Associate
Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, along with her co-authors,
found that people with the early or intermediate stage of AMD, who consumed
higher levels of vegetable fat and animal fat, increased their rates of
progression to advanced AMD.
Food groups with higher levels of saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated,
and transunsaturated fats, particularly processed baked goods, were associated
with a higher rate of progression of AMD. On the other hand, nuts and
fish tended to reduce the risk of progression. These foods contain fats
that have been found to be associated with reduction in risk of cardiovascular
diseases, in particular omega-3 fatty acids as found in fish. The prospective
study consisted of 261 participants, aged 60 years and older with early
or intermediate stage AMD and visual acuity of 20/200 or better in at
least one eye at the onset of the study.
"Identification of modifiable risk factors for AMD may improve our
ability to identify and treat the approximately 8 million people in the
United States with signs of AMD who are at risk of progressing to more
severe forms of the disease," Seddon said. "More than 200,000
people develop advanced AMD with visual loss every year, and these numbers
are growing as the percentage of elderly people continues to grow."
Results of the study were derived from the Progression Study of Macular
Degeneration, is a longitudinal study designed by Seddon to determine
multiple risk and protective factors for the onset and progression of
AMD. The 102 males and 159 females, mean age 72.8, were followed for an
average of 4.6 years. All had some form of AMD and were examined annually
by Seddon to determine if their disease worsened.
Seddon is a world renowned macular degeneration clinician and researcher,
and a national leader of a landmark study of nutritional supplements and
age-related macular degeneration.
Return
to Top of Page
|
| Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Physician Becomes Fellow of American College of Surgeons
Contact: Michele Gorham
(617) 573-3341
BOSTON (Nov. 24, 2003) -- Sandra Lora Cremers, M.D.,
a resident of Somerville, Mass., recently was among 1,442 initiates from
around the world who became Fellows of the American College of Surgeons
on October 19, at the College's 89th annual Clinical Congress in Chicago,
Ill.
Dr. Cremers has been practicing at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
since 2000. She attained board certification from the American Board of
Ophthalmology in 2001. Dr. Cremers has a strong interest in cataract and
refractive surgery and holds membership in other professional societies
including the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Association of
Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
First
drug/treatment targets source of wet AMD vision loss; study results discussed
at the AAO annual meeting
Contact: Mary E. Leach
(617) 573-4170
Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (Nov. 17, 2003) - New
hope may be on the horizon for some people with the wet form of macular
degeneration (AMD), an eye disease in which abnormal blood vessel growth
causes loss of vision. Results of two large international clinical trials
have shown positive results using Macugen, an experimental treatment that
targets these abnormal blood vessels. The results, described last weekend
at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's annual meeting in Anaheim,
Calif., demonstrated the drug's ability to decrease vision loss in this
form of AMD.
The Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary (MEEI) in Boston participated in the clinical trials. In addition,
researchers and physicians at MEEI -- Drs. Tony Adamis (formerly of MEEI),
Evangelos Gragoudas (MEEI) and Joan Miller (MEEI) -- were among the first
to study the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which
causes abnormal blood vessel growth in eye disease. Their experimental
studies showed that levels of VEGF protein were increased in eyes that
developed abnormal new blood vessels, and that VEGF-blocking drugs were
able to prevent the growth of these abnormal blood vessels. Others, including
Harvard's Dr. Lloyd Paul Aiello of the Joslin Diabetes Center and Dr.
Lois Smith of Children's Hospital, corroborated the importance of VEGF
in neovascular eye disease. These studies formed the basis for the drug
development and clinical trials of anti-VEGF therapies, including Macugen,
and demonstrate the importance of translational research, in order to
transform scientific discoveries into new therapies for patients.
Age-related macular degeneration
is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over 50 and affects
approximately 200,000 yearly in the United States alone. In wet AMD, abnormal
blood vessels grow under the central retina and cause a progressive loss
of central vision, interfering with driving, reading and other everyday
tasks.
Macugen differs from current
treatments, which are directed at the results of the disease. Current
treatments, which employ a drug and laser, are able to slow vision loss,
but have not been widely applicable to all patients. Macugen is the first
treatment designed to target the source of the disease. Macugen blocks
the pathological form of a chemical called VEGF, which is produced in
the eye of patients with wet AMD.
The Macugen study, reported
involved 1,186 patients with wet AMD enrolled into one of four treatment
arms: three drug doses and placebo. One-year follow up demonstrated a
benefit to the treatment, with preserved vision (patients lost less than
three lines on the eye chart) in 70% of eyes receiving Macugen compared
to 55% in the placebo group, a result that was statistically significant.
Macugen was effective at all of the doses tested and in all of the forms
of wet AMD enrolled, regardless of the angiographic composition. A gain
of two or more lines of vision was observed in 11% of patients receiving
Macugen compared to 6% receiving placebo. The drug appeared to be safe,
with no increased risk of cardiovascular or other systemic effects. Some
patients received combination Macugen and photodynamic therapy, but those
results were not presented at the meeting. Macugen is administered by
an injection into the eye, given every six weeks in an ophthalmologist's
office. Macugen may be available by late 2004 or early 2005, pending review
by the FDA. Macugen is produced by Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, a New York-based
biotech.
"Although the treatment
effect was modest, it was demonstrated to benefit people with three types
of wet AMD. For two of these types, we currently do not have an FDA approved
treatment," said Dr. John Loewenstein, a retinal specialist at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and investigator for some of the Macugen
trials. "The drug will allow us to treat more patients who have this
devastating eye disease. There is a small risk of significant complications
from the injections that must be weighed against the treatment benefit.
Overall, I think this is a significant addition to our treatment for macular
degeneration."
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Appoints Chief of Anesthesiology
Contact: Michele Gorham
(617) 573-3341
Boston (Oct. 31, 2003) - Salvatore
Basta, M.D., was recently named Chief of Anesthesiology at the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI).
A graduate of Williams College and the University of Massachusetts Medical
School, Dr. Basta interned at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, completed
his anesthesia residency at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and
was a clinical research fellow in Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School.
"We are especially pleased to have Dr. Basta join our team,"
said Joseph B. Nadol, Jr., M.D., Chief of Otolaryngology at MEEI. "His
clinical and scientific contributions to the field of anesthesiology will
further enhance the services offered to Infirmary patients."
Dr. Basta's research interests have been focused on developing new neuromuscular
blocking agents for use during anesthesia and understanding the pharmacology
of histamine release. Prior to joining MEEI, Dr. Basta was the Director
of Anesthesia Services for the Same Day Surgical Unit and Director of
the Clinical Anesthesia Division at MGH, where he provided anesthesia
services for more than 20 years.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary's Anesthesia Department Continues To Expand
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
Boston (Oct. 31, 2003) - Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) recently appointed Joseph Bayes, M.D., as
Clinical Director and Shannon Zhang, M.D., as Acting Pediatric Director
of the Anesthesia Department. Both physicians joined the department in
1999 and have held other administrative and committee positions in the
department prior to their recent appointments.
Dr. Zhang, a resident of Acton, Mass., completed her residency at Yale
University, and most recently was the Acting Clinical Director at the
Infirmary. Dr. Zhang is also a member of the Pediatric Advisory Board
at the Infirmary.
Dr. Bayes, a resident of Newton, Mass., most recently was the Acting Chief
of the Anesthesia Department and the Director of Anesthesia Services in
the Infirmary's Surgicenter. Dr. Bayes also serves on the board of the
Infirmary's Surgical Case Review Committee.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Generation
of inner ear cells from stem cells may lead to new approaches to hearing
loss and deafness
Contacts: Mary E. Leach, (617) 573-4170
Michele Gorham (617) 573-3444
Study described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
(Boston, Mass.) - Slowing or reversing hearing loss
is a major challenge for modern medicine. Mechanical wear and tear, pharmaceutical
assaults, and age-related hair cell loss cause a progressive diminishment
of our hearing throughout life. Underlying the irreversibility of hearing
loss in people is the incapacity of the inner ear's sensory receptor cells
or "hair cells" to regenerate.
A research team led by Stefan Heller, Ph.D., a principal
investigator at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary's Eaton-Peabody
Laboratory and assistant professor, Department of Otology and Laryngology,
Harvard Medical School, recently discovered a new population of stem cells
that reside in the inner ear of adult mice. Heller's lab has taken this
work one step further in a study outlined in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences early edition that will publish online the week of
Oct. 27-Oct. 31.
Heller's laboratory has found a way to coax mouse
embryonic stem cells to develop into inner ear precursor cells that ultimately
have the ability to differentiate into the inner ear's sensory cells,
hair cells.
"Pilot cell transplantation experiments revealed that these embryonic
stem cell-derived progenitors can integrate into developing vestibular
and cochlear hair cell layers and that the transplanted cells express
genes specific for hair cells," Heller said. "Using embryonic
stem cells as the source for inner ear cell types has the advantage that
we can generate large numbers of these cells. Larger numbers of material
for research will expedite the development of cell transplantation techniques."
Before this new strategy and the recent isolation of inner ear stem cells
can be explored to develop therapeutic applications, scientists need to
solve several technological and cell biological puzzles, Heller cautioned.
"Overall, I believe that our findings are substantial advances in
basic research on inner ear neurodegeneration," he said. "I
think that these findings now open the door for novel approaches in the
search for methods to replace lost hair cells, which is a major cause
of deafness."
With a staff of more than 50 scientists, physicians and engineers, the
Eaton-Peabody Laboratory is one of the world's largest basic research
facilities dedicated to the study of hearing and deafness. The laboratory
is located at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, an international
center for treatment and research and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical
School. For more information, call (617) 573-3700 or TDD (617) 523-5498
or visit www.meei.harvard.edu.
Return to Top of Page
|
|
Mass. Eye and Ear Program Gives
Low Vision Patients a Second Look
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Oct. 8, 2003) -The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary recently
launched Second Look - Sight Enhancing Equipment Services -- for those
who suffer from severe vision loss. Second Look was established to educate
and train low vision patients on the latest in life enhancing technology
that otherwise may not be available to them.
"With low vision devices and adaptive aids, people can master techniques
to help them increase their independence," says Joel A. Kraut, M.D.,
Medical Director of the Infirmary's Vision Rehabilitation Center. "By
offering the Second Look service, we hope to reach out to a greater number
of people and provide them with the tools and training to make their lives
more meaningful."
Second Look is the newest addition to the Vision Rehabilitation Center.
The program introduces patients to a wide variety of technologies available
today thanks to personal computers, voice synthesization and close circuit
camera-based enlargement. Second Look has been made possible through the
generosity of Infirmary friends.To learn more about the Vision Rehabilitation
Center at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, visit http://www.meei.harvard.edu/shared/ophtho/low.html
or call 617-573-4177.
Return to Top of Page
|
| Smell
and Taste Expert Joins Infirmary
Contact: Michele P. Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Sept. 18, 2003) - The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is pleased
to announce that Eric H. Holbrook, M.D., is the newest addition to the
Department of Otolaryngology at the Infirmary.
Before joining the Infirmary Dr. Holbrook, a resident of Westwood, Mass.,
completed his Rhinology / Sinus / Chemosensory Fellowship at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska under Dr. Donald Leopold.
Dr. Holbrook's clinical and research interests are in diseases of the
sinuses and disorders of the sense of smell. He received his doctorate
at the SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, New York.
Return to Top of Page
|
|
Mass. Eye
and Ear Infirmary Physician First Woman To be Named Chief and Chairman
of Ophthalmology at the Infirmary and Harvard Medical School
Contact: Michele Gorham (617) 573-3341
Mary Leach (617) 573-4170
Boston (Sept. 26, 2003) - Joan W. Miller, M.D., retina
specialist at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) and Harvard
Medical School (HMS) Professor of Ophthalmology, was recently named Chief
of Ophthalmology at MEEI and Chairman of Ophthalmology at HMS, following
a year-long, nationwide search.
A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and HMS, Dr. Miller
is the director of the Infirmary's Angiogenesis Laboratory and a full
time physician in the Retina Service at the Infirmary. She has served
as the first chairman of the Joint Governance Committee of the Center
for Clinical Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School,
the first woman president of the medical staff of the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary, and is the first woman to be named Chief and Chairman
of Ophthalmology at MEEI and HMS.
Dr. Miller's research interests are focused on ocular neovascularization,
particularly as it relates to macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy,
including the role of growth factors, the development of anti-angiogenic
therapy, and photodynamic therapy. She, along with Evangelos Gragoudas,
M.D., pioneered the development of photodynamic therapy for neovascular
macular degeneration. In addition, Dr. Miller and her colleagues were
among the first to demonstrate the importance of a growth factor, vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the development of ocular neovascularization
and the potential use of drug therapies targeting VEGF.
"Dr. Miller is an extraordinary researcher, clinician and teacher,
with strong plans for the future" said Infirmary President F. Curtis
Smith. "She has been an incredible asset to our organization, and
I look forward to working with her in her new role."
An internationally recognized expert in the field of macular degeneration,
Dr. Miller has published more than 64 original peer-reviewed papers, 38
book chapters and review articles, and is a named inventor on four U.S.
patents.
She has received numerous awards, including the Rosenthal Award of the
Macula Society, the Retina Research Award from the Club Jules Gonin, and
the Alcon Research Institute Award. Dr. Miller and her husband John live
in Winchester, Mass. with their two younger children, Douglas and Mary.
Their son John is an undergraduate student at MIT.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Mass.
Eye and Ear Infirmary Researchers Find Linkage of Age-related Macular
Degeneration to Areas of Chromosomes in Scan of Genome
Contact: Michele P. Gorham,
(617) 573-3341
Michele_Gorham@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (Sept. 18, 2003) - Researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary (MEEI)and Harvard Medical School (HMS) have found evidence in
the human genome linking age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to several
chromosomal regions. The results will be published in the October issue
of the American Journal of Human Genetics and are currently available
on-line.
In the first study of genetics and AMD at MEEI and HMS, lead author Johanna
M. Seddon, M.D., ScM, director of the Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard
Medical School, along with her co-lead author, Susan Santangelo, ScD,
Massachusetts General Hospital, a genomewide scan was performed and significant
linkage of AMD was found.
"These results provide valuable leads in the search for genes associated
with AMD, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly," Seddon
said.
Principal Investigator, Dr. Seddon began the national study in 1989. Funding
for the study was awarded from the National Institutes of Health and the
National Eye Institute. Published results included a subset of 158 families
with two or more siblings with AMD, of which 490 individuals were affected,
101 were unaffected, with a total of 511 affected sibling pairs.
Evidence of AMD was found linked to chromosomes 2, 3, 6, and 8, as well
as potential regions on other chromosomes. Seddon and her colleagues continue
to recruit and conduct analyses to identify genes which render an individual
susceptible to this disease. In addition, the Epidemiology Unit at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary has identified risk factors for AMD,
including cigarette smoking, overall obesity, abdominal fat, and dietary
fat. They have also shown the beneficial effect of antioxidant nutrients.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Discovery
of Inner Ear Cells May Lead to New Therapies for Deafness and Inner Ear
Disorders
Contacts:
Mary E. Leach,(617) 573-4170
Michele Gorham (617) 573-3444
(Boston, Mass.) - Hearing loss and vestibular disorders often have debilitating
effects on affected individuals, ranging in severity from modest difficulty
with speech comprehension to profound deafness, tinnitus or dizziness.
Hearing loss is the most prevalent chronic disease of the elderly, affecting
more than one third of people over 65 years of age. In most cases, hearing
loss is caused by degeneration of the inner ear's sensory receptor cells
or "hair cells."
A research team led by Stefan Heller, Ph.D., a principal investigator
at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary's Eaton-Peabody Laboratory
and assistant professor, Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard
Medical School, has discovered a new population of stem cells that reside
in the inner ear of adult mice. Huawei Li, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate
of the laboratory, found that these cells give rise to new hair cells
in the culture dish, as well as after transplantation into embryonic inner
ears of laboratory animals. The combination of these two discoveries could
eventually lead to new hope for some people who suffer from hearing loss.
"The generation of new hair cells from a renewable source is the
first step towards the development of new treatment options for human
deafness," Heller said. "Our immediate future goal is to test
whether stem cell-derived hair cells can functionally restore hearing
in deaf animals. Ultimately, working in conjunction with Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary clinicians, we aim to develop therapeutic applications
for stem cell-based therapy for inner ear disorders."
Heller and Li's results will be published in the October issue of Nature
Medicine and will be available Sept. 1, 2003 online at http://www.nature.com/nm/.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Researchers
Discover Direct Correlation Between Gene Mutation and Abnormal Retina
Function in 'Best Disease:' Even in the Face of No Symptoms
Contact: Mary E. Leach,
(617) 573-4170
Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (Aug. 28, 2003) - Eye
researchers have discovered a direct correlation between the presence
of a mutation in the gene associated with Best disease -- a macular dystrophy
-- and abnormal retina function, even if there are no symptoms of the
disease present. This new finding is described in the September issue
of Ophthalmology.
According to lead author, Johanna M. Seddon, M.D., ScM, director of the
Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Associate
Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, this paper reports
the correlations between mutations in VMD2, the gene associated with Best
disease, and the clinical appearance of the macula, in two families with
Best disease. Best disease, also known as Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy
type 2 (VMD2) is an inherited form of macular degeneration that is characterized
by a loss of central vision caused by vitelliform macular lesions. Some
patients may be asymptomatic, while others may have vision loss at the
time the disease is diagnosed.
"The important finding is that the presence of a mutation in this
gene signifies an abnormal functioning of the retina, even if the family
member has no clinical sign of maculopathy on examination," Seddon
said. "Genetic testing is now an additional tool to evaluate normal
appearing members of a family that have a history of Best disease."
In the study, researchers evaluated two families with Best disease to
determine if affected family members had mutations in the VMD2 gene, compared
with unaffected family members, and to evaluate whether phenotypically
normal individuals with abnormal retinal function had a VMD2 gene mutation.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Renames General Eye Service
Contact: Michele P. Gorham
617-573-3341
Boston (July 22, 2003) - The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is pleased
to announce a change in the name of the General Eye Service. Effective
immediately, the department will be known as Comprehensive Ophthalmology.
"This change better reflects the broad range of services the Infirmary
provides and has become the standard nationwide for primary eye care services,"
said Bonnie An Henderson, M.D., Director of Comprehensive Ophthalmology.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Physician Receives 50th Anniversary Scholars in
Medicine Fellowship Award
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
Boston (July 22, 2003) - Theresa
A. Hadlock M.D., has been awarded the 2003 Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Fellowship, one of fifty 50th Anniversary Scholars in Medicine Fellowships.
Dr. Hadlock, a resident of Concord, Ma., and a physician scientist, was
chosen out of 107 applicants for the seventeen fellowships selected by
the Harvard Medical School process. Dean Joseph Martin will be hosting
a reception to honor the 50th Anniversary Fellowship recipients on Thursday,
November 20, 2003.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Mass. Eye
and Ear Ranked a Top Hospital for Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, in U.S.
News' "America's Best Hospitals"
Contact: Mary E. Leach
(617) 573-4170
Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (July 17, 2003) - The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary ranked
second in the nation for otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) and fourth
in the nation for ophthalmology (eyes), according to U.S. News and World
Report's "America's Best Hospitals" survey.
The Infirmary's ranking in otolaryngology improved this year (up from
#3 to #2) and its ranking in ophthalmology remained steady.
"We take great pride in the belief that the Massachusetts Eye and
Ear Infirmary provides the best possible health care to our patients,"
said F. Curtis Smith, president, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
"I am happy to see that those surveyed by U.S. News agree!"
The fourteenth annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey was
conducted in conjunction with the National Opinion Research Center, a
noted social-science research group at the University of Chicago. The
survey assesses hospital care in 17 medical specialties.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts Eye and
Ear Infirmary Physician Receives William W. Montgomery Award
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (July 16, 2003) - Michael J. McKenna, M.D.,
Associate Professor of Otology and Laryngology at the Harvard Medical
School, and a resident of Southborough, Mass., recently received the William
W. Montgomery Award for Excellence in Teaching from the graduating otolaryngology
residents at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
The William W. Montgomery Award is presented annually to the physician
who the graduating resident class feels has been an inspirational teacher
during residency training. Dr. McKenna was chosen as this year's recipient
because of his dedication and involvement in formal lectures, case conferences,
and day-to-day teaching activities that help train the next generation
of otolaryngologists. Dr. McKenna first came to the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary for his residency in 1988.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Physician Named Ophthalmology Teacher of the Year
Contact: Michele P. Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (July 16 , 2003) - Bonnie An Henderson M.D., Director of the Cataract
and General Eye Services, and a resident of Dover, Mass., recently received
the award for Ophthalmology Teacher of the Year from the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary. The Teacher of the Year Award is presented annually
to the physician who has made a large contribution to the education of
students in ophthalmology.
Dr. Henderson graduated at Dartmouth Medical School. She performed her
residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and was asked to
join the staff in 1997.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Boston Fundraiser Joins Infirmary
as Senior Development Officer
Contact: Michele Gorham
(617) 573-3341
BOSTON (July 10, 2003) - Helaine Silverman, a resident
of Boston, Mass., recently joined the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
as a Senior Development Officer. Silverman brings major and planned gift
support to the Infirmary from individuals, foundations and corporations.
Prior to joining the Infirmary, Ms. Silverman was Director of Capital
Giving at WBUR 90.9 FM and Associate Director of Planned and Major Gifts
at Brandeis University. Ms. Silverman received her master's degree from
Harvard Graduate School of Education and her bachelor of arts degree from
Smith College.
Return to Top of Page
|
|
Eye Safety on the Fourth of July
Contact: Michele Gorham
(617) 573-3341
BOSTON (June 26, 2003) - Physicians at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
are reminding people to make eye safety a priority if they are going to
use fireworks or view fireworks during the Independence Day holiday.
"Fireworks are capable of producing the worst
type of eye injuries because they burn at such a high temperature and
travel at such high rates of speed," says Bonnie An Henderson, M.D.,
Director of the General Eye Service. "Almost all types of fireworks
produce fast-moving, blunt objects. Not only is their direction unpredictable
and inaccurate, but most fireworks travel too fast for people to move
out of the way."
According to the United States Eye Injury Registry,
approximately 12,000 Americans are treated in emergency departments annually
for firework-related injuries, and of these, it is estimated that 20%
are eye injuries.
Bottle rockets are a major cause of fireworks-related
eye injuries and nearly all serious eye injuries are caused by them. However,
other fireworks can rupture, burn, cut, scrape and severely bruise the
eye, as well as the facial areas surrounding the eye and the face. Dr.
Henderson says that even sparklers are dangerous as they emit flying particles.
Dr. Henderson offers the following medical tips in case an eye injury
does occur:
- Do not try to remove any protruding objects from
the eye.
- Flush the eye with water to remove any particles
that are present.
- Cover the eye loosely for comfort and seek immediate
medical attention.
The Infirmary has an Eye Trauma Service which is open
24 hours a day, seven days a week, to care for those with emergency eye
injuries.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Physician Receives Massachusetts General Hospital's
Jack Wittenberg Teaching Award
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (June 19, 2003) - Hugh Curtin, M.D., the chief of Radiology at
the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and a resident of Wellesley,
Mass., recently received the Jack Wittenberg Teaching Award from Massachusetts
General Hospital.
The Jack Wittenberg Teaching Award is presented annually to the physician
who has made a large contribution to the education of radiology residents.
Dr. Curtin was chosen as this year's recipient because of his dedication
and involvement in formal lectures, case conferences, and day-to-day teaching
activities that help train the next generation of radiologists. Dr. Curtin
also teaches at Mass General Hospital in addition to his work at Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
New Trustees Elected at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Contact: Mary E. Leach
(617) 573-4170
Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu
BOSTON (June 18, 2003) - William D. Haylon, Roberta W. Siegel and Ann
Marie Cotton have all been elected trustees of the Massachusetts Eye and
Ear Infirmary.
Mr. Haylon, an entrepreneur from Wellesley, Mass., co-founded and sold
two start-up companies and continues to be involved with several small
companies as a board member. Mrs. Siegel is the Manager of Listener Services
and Administrative Assistant to the CEO of Charles River Broadcasting,
Classical 102.5, WCRB, Boston. Ms. Cotton is the Corporate Counsel/Director
for J.C. Cannistraro, Inc.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Study
Shows Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) Hastens the Progression of Age-related
Macular Degeneration; Exercise May Slow the Disease
Contact: Mary E. Leach
(617) 573-4170
Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (June 9, 2003) - Overall
and abdominal obesity may increase the risk of developing advanced age-related
macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment
in the United States, and increased exercise may lower the risk, according
to a paper in the June issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.
Johanna M. Seddon, M.D., lead author and Director, Epidemiology Unit,
and Surgeon in Ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary,
Harvard Medical School, and co-authors found that body mass index (BMI),
waist circumference and waist-hip ratio significantly increase the risk
of progression to advanced AMD. Individuals with a BMI greater than 30
have a 2.4-fold increased risk of progressing to advanced AMD. Higher
waist circumference was associated with a 2-fold increased risk, and higher
waist-hip ratio was associated with a 1.8-fold increased risk of progressing
to advanced AMD.
On the other hand, physical activity tended to decrease the risk of progression
to advanced AMD, said Seddon.
"These results provide new information regarding modifiable factors
for individuals with the early or intermediate stages of this disease,"
Seddon said. "Since the impact of AMD on our growing elderly population
is rising, finding means to reduce the burden of visual loss related its
progression is of utmost importance. Thus far, as shown in our previous
studies, only cigarette smoking and selected fat consumption are well-established,
modifiable risk factors."
Based on the results of this study, patients with AMD should be encouraged
to maintain a healthy weight and engage in physical exercise. Potential
mechanisms include the beneficial effect on vascular status.
Results of the study were derived from the Progression Study of Macular
Degeneration, which is a prospective longitudinal study designed by Dr.
Seddon to determine multiple risk factors for the onset and progression
of AMD. There were 261 participants in the study, 102 males and 159 females,
mean age 72.8, who were followed for an average of 4.6 years. All had
some form of AMD and were examined annually by Dr. Seddon to determine
if their disease worsened.
Bullet Points
Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Association with Body
Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Waist-Hip Ratio
Seddon,JM., Cote,J, Davis,NJ., Rosner, B.
Arch Ophthalmol. 2003;121:785-792
- Researchers evaluated the
relationship between measures of obesity and body fat distribution,
specifically body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio,
and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading
cause of blindness among elderly individuals.
" Results were derived from our Progression Study of Macular Degeneration,
which is a prospective longitudinal study designed by Johanna M. Seddon,
M.D., to determine multiple risk factors for the onset and progression
of advanced AMD.
- There were 261 participants
in the study, 102 males and 159 females, mean age 72.8.
- All participants had some
form of AMD when they entered the study and were examined annually by
Dr. Seddon to determine if their disease status worsened. Participants
were followed for an average of 4.6 years.
- During the study, 101 participants
progressed to a more advanced stage of AMD, which is associated with
loss of vision.
- Overall and abdominal obesity
increase the risk of progression to advanced AMD. BMI, waist circumference
and waist-hip ratio significantly increase the risk of progression to
advanced AMD. Individuals with a BMI = 30 have a 2.4-fold increased
risk of progressing to advanced AMD. Higher waist circumference was
associated with a 2-fold increased risk and higher waist-hip ratio was
associated with a 1.8 fold increased risk of progressing to advanced
AMD.
- Additionally, we found that
physical activity tended to decrease risk of progression of AMD.
- These results provide new
information regarding modifiable factors for individuals with the early
or intermediate stages of this disease. These preventative measures
deserve additional research and greater emphasis.
Return
to Top of Page
|
| Infirmary
Announces New Hearing Aid Center and Launches Web Site
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (May 21, 2003) - The
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) and Department of Audiology
recently launched a new Web
site in conjunction with the opening of a new Hearing Aid and Cochlear
Implant Center.
The Center offers a full range of auditory rehabilitative services for
infants through adults, including evaluations for hearing aids and cochlear
implants, hearing aid sales, fitting and orientation, and cochlear implant
programming and follow-up. Auditory rehabilitation sessions are tailored
to individual need and weekly classes are available to refresh hearing
aid skills and troubleshoot problems.
"The Center can provide individuals with the information and tools
they need to maximize their performance with hearing aids, cochlear implants
and other assistive devices," says Sharon G. Kujawa, Ph.D., Director
of the Audiology Department and Associate Professor, Department of Otology
& Laryngology, Harvard Medical School. "Our new Web site is another
great resource for our patients. We have included information we hope
will help our readers learn about the different hearing aid
technologies on the market,
as well as hearing aid care and troubleshooting guides and tips for talking
to individuals with hearing loss. Our diagnostic and auditory rehabilitation
services for children and adults are also described in detail."
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Infirmary
Hires New Director of Marketing
Contact: Michele P. Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (May 14, 2003) - M.
Carol Brennan, a resident of Charlestown, Mass., recently joined the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) as Director of Marketing. Her responsibilities
include creating and implementing marketing plans for MEEI and its various
departments.
Prior to joining the Infirmary, Ms. Brennan worked as a marketing consultant
in Boston for a variety of non-profit clients. She has also held brand
management positions in the health and beauty care industries.
Ms. Brennan received her master's in business administration from The
Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College, where she served
on the alumni board for a number of years. She is a member of the Boston
Women Communicators and the Charlestown Preservation Society.
|
|
Scientists
shed light on genetic eye abnormality that makes eyes slow to adjust to
brightness
Study described in the Jan. 1 issue of "Nature"
Contact: Mary E. Leach
(617) 573-4170
Boston, Mass.(Dec.
31, 2003) - While many individuals complain
of difficulty adjusting to bright light, scientists have had little success
in identifying an abnormality in the retina that causes this symptom.
A research team led by scientists at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
has identified genetic defects in five unrelated individuals that interfere
with the ability of cells in the eye to quickly adjust to changes in light
intensity. Their work is described in the Jan. 1 issue of Nature.
Researchers from the three laboratories located at the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary, the Ocular Molecular Genetics Institute (Thaddeus Dryja,
Koji Nishiguchi and Stephanie Hagstrom), the Berman-Gund Laboratory for
the Study of Retinal Degenerations (Eliot Berson and Michael Sandberg),
and the Howe Laboratory (Vadim Arshavsky and Kirill Martemyanov), and
from the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Groningen in
the Netherlands (Aart Kooijman and Jan Willem Pott), recently discovered
a biologic basis for slow adaptation to light in some individuals. The
photoreceptor cells in the eyes of normal individuals quickly respond
to light and also quickly recover after exposure to light. Theoretically,
it is possible to have defect in either the activation or the deactivation
of the photoreceptor's light response. In the past, many defects in the
activation phase have been found, and these typically lead to marked abnormalities
in vision. This is the first report of patients with a problem with the
deactivation of photoreceptors.
"In 1991 in the Netherlands, some patients were
identified with abnormal recovery from the influence of strong light flashes.
For example, they reported difficulty in playing ball games because they
could not see a moving ball. With sudden changes in luminance, like that
caused by going from inside to outside on a sunny day, these patients
are essentially blind for five to 10 seconds," said Dr. Kooijman
from the University of Groningen. While some patients with cataracts can
have related symptoms, these individuals had no cataracts.
"We found that their symptoms are due to defects
in proteins that normally function to deactivate photoreceptors after
exposure to light. These defects were due to defects in proteins that
normally function to deactivate photoreceptors after exposure to light.
The disease was due to mutations in the gene encoding these proteins,"
said Dr. Dryja from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Harvard
Medical School.
There is no cure for this condition; however, dark
glasses to reduce exposure to bright light appear to be helpful. Those
who experience extreme difficulty in adjusting to changes in light should
consult with their physician. While the authors believe that these gene
defects are uncommon, their discovery may provide clues to the basis for
the milder difficulties that many individual experience when trying to
adapt to changes in light intensity.
This study was supported by the National Institutes
of Health (National Eye Institute), the Foundation Fighting Blindness,
Owings Mills, Maryland, and the American Heart Association. The Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary is an international center for treatment and research
and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. For more information,
call (617) 523-7900 or TDD (617) 523-5498 or visit www.meei.harvard.edu.
Return to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Physicians Elect New President
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 15, 2003) - Michael
J. McKenna, M.D., associate professor of otology and laryngology at the
Harvard Medical School and a resident of Southborough, Mass., was recently
named president of the medical staff at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary.
Dr. McKenna first came to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1989
as full-time staff member after receiving an academic appointment in the
department of otology and laryngology at Harvard Medical School. In the
last 15 years, he has practiced strictly in otology, neurotology and skull
base surgery.
"Throughout his career, he has played a critical role in the education
and training of Harvard Medical students, residents in otolaryngology,
and both clinical and research fellows," says Infirmary Chief of
Otolaryngology Joseph B. Nadol Jr., M.D.
Dr. McKenna is a member of several professional societies including the
New England Otolaryngological Society, American Otological Society, American
Neurotology Society and most recently, the Collegium Oto-Rhino-Laryngologicum.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Matthew
Lorber Elected Trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 10, 2003) - Matthew
Lorber, a resident of Westwood, Mass., has been elected to a five- year
term as a trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Inc.
Mr. Lorber is the co-founder, president and CEO of Copley Controls, a
worldwide leader in MRI Gradient Systems and high performance motion controls.
He also co-founded Analog Devices, a Fortune 500 electronics manufacturer.
Mr. Lorber is married to Susan Lorber and they have a daughter, Janie.
An avid skier, Mr. Lorber enjoys going to Red Sox games and playing golf.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Robert
P. Fitzgerald Elected Trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 10, 2003) - Robert
P. Fitzgerald, a resident of Boston, Mass., has been elected to a five-year
term as trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Inc.
Mr. Fitzgerald is senior vice-president at Acordia, Inc., a Chicago-based
insurance firm. Prior to that, Mr. Fitzgerald was an executive at Coroon
and Black Insurance Inc., and CEO of Harbor National Bank.
Mr. Fitzgerald has been highly active in the community, supporting and
serving such organizations as the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, the American
Cancer Society and as a trustee of Boston Latin School. Mr. Fitzgerald
has also been involved as a fundraising coordinator with Sen. Edward M.
Kennedy's campaigns since 1962.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Terence
Wong Elected Trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Dec. 10, 2003) - Terence
Wong, a resident of Cambridge, Mass., has been elected to a five-year
term as a trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Inc.
Mr. Wong, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the
Sloan School of Management, has been an executive at Supercon, Inc., a
specialty wire manufacturer, since 1993. In addition to serving as vice-president,
Mr. Wong is a co-inventor on three patents, has served as principle investigator
on multiple grants from the DOE and NSF, and has published 18 technical
papers.
In his spare time, Mr. Wong enjoys ultimate frisbee, skiing, cooking,
and spending time with his family.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Good
and Bad Fats Linked to Progression of Age-related Macular Degeneration
Contact: Michele P. Gorham
(617) 573-3341
Michele_gorham@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (Dec. 8, 2003) - Higher
levels of good dietary fat, including fish and nuts, have been found to
diminish the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and
bad fat, such as processed baked goods, increase the progression to the
advanced stages of the disease that is associated with vision loss. AMD
is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment in the United
States. The findings are published in a paper in the December issue of
the Archives of Ophthalmology.
In the first study designed to evaluate dietary fat intake and the progression
of AMD, Johanna M. Seddon, M.D., ScM, lead author and director of the
Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Associate
Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, along with her co-authors,
found that people with the early or intermediate stage of AMD, who consumed
higher levels of vegetable fat and animal fat, increased their rates of
progression to advanced AMD.
Food groups with higher levels of saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated,
and transunsaturated fats, particularly processed baked goods, were associated
with a higher rate of progression of AMD. On the other hand, nuts and
fish tended to reduce the risk of progression. These foods contain fats
that have been found to be associated with reduction in risk of cardiovascular
diseases, in particular omega-3 fatty acids as found in fish. The prospective
study consisted of 261 participants, aged 60 years and older with early
or intermediate stage AMD and visual acuity of 20/200 or better in at
least one eye at the onset of the study.
"Identification of modifiable risk factors for AMD may improve our
ability to identify and treat the approximately 8 million people in the
United States with signs of AMD who are at risk of progressing to more
severe forms of the disease," Seddon said. "More than 200,000
people develop advanced AMD with visual loss every year, and these numbers
are growing as the percentage of elderly people continues to grow."
Results of the study were derived from the Progression Study of Macular
Degeneration, is a longitudinal study designed by Seddon to determine
multiple risk and protective factors for the onset and progression of
AMD. The 102 males and 159 females, mean age 72.8, were followed for an
average of 4.6 years. All had some form of AMD and were examined annually
by Seddon to determine if their disease worsened.
Seddon is a world renowned macular degeneration clinician and researcher,
and a national leader of a landmark study of nutritional supplements and
age-related macular degeneration.
Return
to Top of Page
|
| Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Physician Becomes Fellow of American College of Surgeons
Contact: Michele Gorham
(617) 573-3341
BOSTON (Nov. 24, 2003) -- Sandra Lora Cremers, M.D.,
a resident of Somerville, Mass., recently was among 1,442 initiates from
around the world who became Fellows of the American College of Surgeons
on October 19, at the College's 89th annual Clinical Congress in Chicago,
Ill.
Dr. Cremers has been practicing at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
since 2000. She attained board certification from the American Board of
Ophthalmology in 2001. Dr. Cremers has a strong interest in cataract and
refractive surgery and holds membership in other professional societies
including the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Association of
Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
First
drug/treatment targets source of wet AMD vision loss; study results discussed
at the AAO annual meeting
Contact: Mary E. Leach
(617) 573-4170
Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (Nov. 17, 2003) - New
hope may be on the horizon for some people with the wet form of macular
degeneration (AMD), an eye disease in which abnormal blood vessel growth
causes loss of vision. Results of two large international clinical trials
have shown positive results using Macugen, an experimental treatment that
targets these abnormal blood vessels. The results, described last weekend
at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's annual meeting in Anaheim,
Calif., demonstrated the drug's ability to decrease vision loss in this
form of AMD.
The Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary (MEEI) in Boston participated in the clinical trials. In addition,
researchers and physicians at MEEI -- Drs. Tony Adamis (formerly of MEEI),
Evangelos Gragoudas (MEEI) and Joan Miller (MEEI) -- were among the first
to study the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which
causes abnormal blood vessel growth in eye disease. Their experimental
studies showed that levels of VEGF protein were increased in eyes that
developed abnormal new blood vessels, and that VEGF-blocking drugs were
able to prevent the growth of these abnormal blood vessels. Others, including
Harvard's Dr. Lloyd Paul Aiello of the Joslin Diabetes Center and Dr.
Lois Smith of Children's Hospital, corroborated the importance of VEGF
in neovascular eye disease. These studies formed the basis for the drug
development and clinical trials of anti-VEGF therapies, including Macugen,
and demonstrate the importance of translational research, in order to
transform scientific discoveries into new therapies for patients.
Age-related macular degeneration
is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over 50 and affects
approximately 200,000 yearly in the United States alone. In wet AMD, abnormal
blood vessels grow under the central retina and cause a progressive loss
of central vision, interfering with driving, reading and other everyday
tasks.
Macugen differs from current
treatments, which are directed at the results of the disease. Current
treatments, which employ a drug and laser, are able to slow vision loss,
but have not been widely applicable to all patients. Macugen is the first
treatment designed to target the source of the disease. Macugen blocks
the pathological form of a chemical called VEGF, which is produced in
the eye of patients with wet AMD.
The Macugen study, reported
involved 1,186 patients with wet AMD enrolled into one of four treatment
arms: three drug doses and placebo. One-year follow up demonstrated a
benefit to the treatment, with preserved vision (patients lost less than
three lines on the eye chart) in 70% of eyes receiving Macugen compared
to 55% in the placebo group, a result that was statistically significant.
Macugen was effective at all of the doses tested and in all of the forms
of wet AMD enrolled, regardless of the angiographic composition. A gain
of two or more lines of vision was observed in 11% of patients receiving
Macugen compared to 6% receiving placebo. The drug appeared to be safe,
with no increased risk of cardiovascular or other systemic effects. Some
patients received combination Macugen and photodynamic therapy, but those
results were not presented at the meeting. Macugen is administered by
an injection into the eye, given every six weeks in an ophthalmologist's
office. Macugen may be available by late 2004 or early 2005, pending review
by the FDA. Macugen is produced by Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, a New York-based
biotech.
"Although the treatment
effect was modest, it was demonstrated to benefit people with three types
of wet AMD. For two of these types, we currently do not have an FDA approved
treatment," said Dr. John Loewenstein, a retinal specialist at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and investigator for some of the Macugen
trials. "The drug will allow us to treat more patients who have this
devastating eye disease. There is a small risk of significant complications
from the injections that must be weighed against the treatment benefit.
Overall, I think this is a significant addition to our treatment for macular
degeneration."
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary Appoints Chief of Anesthesiology
Contact: Michele Gorham
(617) 573-3341
Boston (Oct. 31, 2003) - Salvatore
Basta, M.D., was recently named Chief of Anesthesiology at the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI).
A graduate of Williams College and the University of Massachusetts Medical
School, Dr. Basta interned at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, completed
his anesthesia residency at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and
was a clinical research fellow in Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School.
"We are especially pleased to have Dr. Basta join our team,"
said Joseph B. Nadol, Jr., M.D., Chief of Otolaryngology at MEEI. "His
clinical and scientific contributions to the field of anesthesiology will
further enhance the services offered to Infirmary patients."
Dr. Basta's research interests have been focused on developing new neuromuscular
blocking agents for use during anesthesia and understanding the pharmacology
of histamine release. Prior to joining MEEI, Dr. Basta was the Director
of Anesthesia Services for the Same Day Surgical Unit and Director of
the Clinical Anesthesia Division at MGH, where he provided anesthesia
services for more than 20 years.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary's Anesthesia Department Continues To Expand
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
Boston (Oct. 31, 2003) - Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) recently appointed Joseph Bayes, M.D., as
Clinical Director and Shannon Zhang, M.D., as Acting Pediatric Director
of the Anesthesia Department. Both physicians joined the department in
1999 and have held other administrative and committee positions in the
department prior to their recent appointments.
Dr. Zhang, a resident of Acton, Mass., completed her residency at Yale
University, and most recently was the Acting Clinical Director at the
Infirmary. Dr. Zhang is also a member of the Pediatric Advisory Board
at the Infirmary.
Dr. Bayes, a resident of Newton, Mass., most recently was the Acting Chief
of the Anesthesia Department and the Director of Anesthesia Services in
the Infirmary's Surgicenter. Dr. Bayes also serves on the board of the
Infirmary's Surgical Case Review Committee.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Generation
of inner ear cells from stem cells may lead to new approaches to hearing
loss and deafness
Contacts: Mary E. Leach, (617) 573-4170
Michele Gorham (617) 573-3444
Study described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
(Boston, Mass.) - Slowing or reversing hearing loss
is a major challenge for modern medicine. Mechanical wear and tear, pharmaceutical
assaults, and age-related hair cell loss cause a progressive diminishment
of our hearing throughout life. Underlying the irreversibility of hearing
loss in people is the incapacity of the inner ear's sensory receptor cells
or "hair cells" to regenerate.
A research team led by Stefan Heller, Ph.D., a principal
investigator at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary's Eaton-Peabody
Laboratory and assistant professor, Department of Otology and Laryngology,
Harvard Medical School, recently discovered a new population of stem cells
that reside in the inner ear of adult mice. Heller's lab has taken this
work one step further in a study outlined in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences early edition that will publish online the week of
Oct. 27-Oct. 31.
Heller's laboratory has found a way to coax mouse
embryonic stem cells to develop into inner ear precursor cells that ultimately
have the ability to differentiate into the inner ear's sensory cells,
hair cells.
"Pilot cell transplantation experiments revealed that these embryonic
stem cell-derived progenitors can integrate into developing vestibular
and cochlear hair cell layers and that the transplanted cells express
genes specific for hair cells," Heller said. "Using embryonic
stem cells as the source for inner ear cell types has the advantage that
we can generate large numbers of these cells. Larger numbers of material
for research will expedite the development of cell transplantation techniques."
Before this new strategy and the recent isolation of inner ear stem cells
can be explored to develop therapeutic applications, scientists need to
solve several technological and cell biological puzzles, Heller cautioned.
"Overall, I believe that our findings are substantial advances in
basic research on inner ear neurodegeneration," he said. "I
think that these findings now open the door for novel approaches in the
search for methods to replace lost hair cells, which is a major cause
of deafness."
With a staff of more than 50 scientists, physicians and engineers, the
Eaton-Peabody Laboratory is one of the world's largest basic research
facilities dedicated to the study of hearing and deafness. The laboratory
is located at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, an international
center for treatment and research and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical
School. For more information, call (617) 573-3700 or TDD (617) 523-5498
or visit www.meei.harvard.edu.
Return to Top of Page
|
|
Mass. Eye and Ear Program Gives
Low Vision Patients a Second Look
Contact: Michele Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Oct. 8, 2003) -The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary recently
launched Second Look - Sight Enhancing Equipment Services -- for those
who suffer from severe vision loss. Second Look was established to educate
and train low vision patients on the latest in life enhancing technology
that otherwise may not be available to them.
"With low vision devices and adaptive aids, people can master techniques
to help them increase their independence," says Joel A. Kraut, M.D.,
Medical Director of the Infirmary's Vision Rehabilitation Center. "By
offering the Second Look service, we hope to reach out to a greater number
of people and provide them with the tools and training to make their lives
more meaningful."
Second Look is the newest addition to the Vision Rehabilitation Center.
The program introduces patients to a wide variety of technologies available
today thanks to personal computers, voice synthesization and close circuit
camera-based enlargement. Second Look has been made possible through the
generosity of Infirmary friends.To learn more about the Vision Rehabilitation
Center at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, visit http://www.meei.harvard.edu/shared/ophtho/low.html
or call 617-573-4177.
Return to Top of Page
|
| Smell
and Taste Expert Joins Infirmary
Contact: Michele P. Gorham
617-573-3341
BOSTON (Sept. 18, 2003) - The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is pleased
to announce that Eric H. Holbrook, M.D., is the newest addition to the
Department of Otolaryngology at the Infirmary.
Before joining the Infirmary Dr. Holbrook, a resident of Westwood, Mass.,
completed his Rhinology / Sinus / Chemosensory Fellowship at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska under Dr. Donald Leopold.
Dr. Holbrook's clinical and research interests are in diseases of the
sinuses and disorders of the sense of smell. He received his doctorate
at the SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, New York.
Return to Top of Page
|
|
Mass. Eye
and Ear Infirmary Physician First Woman To be Named Chief and Chairman
of Ophthalmology at the Infirmary and Harvard Medical School
Contact: Michele Gorham (617) 573-3341
Mary Leach (617) 573-4170
Boston (Sept. 26, 2003) - Joan W. Miller, M.D., retina
specialist at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) and Harvard
Medical School (HMS) Professor of Ophthalmology, was recently named Chief
of Ophthalmology at MEEI and Chairman of Ophthalmology at HMS, following
a year-long, nationwide search.
A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and HMS, Dr. Miller
is the director of the Infirmary's Angiogenesis Laboratory and a full
time physician in the Retina Service at the Infirmary. She has served
as the first chairman of the Joint Governance Committee of the Center
for Clinical Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School,
the first woman president of the medical staff of the Massachusetts Eye
and Ear Infirmary, and is the first woman to be named Chief and Chairman
of Ophthalmology at MEEI and HMS.
Dr. Miller's research interests are focused on ocular neovascularization,
particularly as it relates to macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy,
including the role of growth factors, the development of anti-angiogenic
therapy, and photodynamic therapy. She, along with Evangelos Gragoudas,
M.D., pioneered the development of photodynamic therapy for neovascular
macular degeneration. In addition, Dr. Miller and her colleagues were
among the first to demonstrate the importance of a growth factor, vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the development of ocular neovascularization
and the potential use of drug therapies targeting VEGF.
"Dr. Miller is an extraordinary researcher, clinician and teacher,
with strong plans for the future" said Infirmary President F. Curtis
Smith. "She has been an incredible asset to our organization, and
I look forward to working with her in her new role."
An internationally recognized expert in the field of macular degeneration,
Dr. Miller has published more than 64 original peer-reviewed papers, 38
book chapters and review articles, and is a named inventor on four U.S.
patents.
She has received numerous awards, including the Rosenthal Award of the
Macula Society, the Retina Research Award from the Club Jules Gonin, and
the Alcon Research Institute Award. Dr. Miller and her husband John live
in Winchester, Mass. with their two younger children, Douglas and Mary.
Their son John is an undergraduate student at MIT.
Return
to Top of Page
|
|
Mass.
Eye and Ear Infirmary Researchers Find Linkage of Age-related Macular
Degeneration to Areas of Chromosomes in Scan of Genome
Contact: Michele P. Gorham,
(617) 573-3341
Michele_Gorham@meei.harvard.edu
Boston (Sept. 18, 2003) - Researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Infirmary (MEEI)and Harvard Medical School (HMS) have found evidence in
the human genome linking age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to several
chromosomal regions. The results will be published in the October issue
of the American Journal of Human Genetics and are currently available
on-line.
In the first study of genetics and AMD at MEEI and HMS, lead author Johanna
M. Seddon, M.D., ScM, director of the Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts
Eye and Ear Infirmary and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard
Medical School, along with her co-lead author, Susan Santangelo, ScD,
Massachusetts General Hospital, a genomewide scan was performed and significant
linkage of AMD was found.
"These results provide valuable leads in the search for genes associated
with AMD, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly," Seddon
said.
Principal Investigator, Dr. Seddon began the national study in 1989. Funding
for the study was awarded from the National Institutes of Health and the
National Eye Institute. Published results included a subset of 158 families
with two or more siblings with AMD, of which 490 individuals were affected,
101 were unaffected, with a total of 511 affected sibling pairs.
Evidence of AMD was found linked to chromosomes 2, 3, 6, and 8, as well
as potential regions on other chromosomes. Seddon and her colleagues continue
to recruit and conduct analyses to identify genes which render an individual
susceptible to this disease. In addition, the Epidemiology Unit at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary has identified risk factors for AMD,
including cigarette smoking, overall obesity, abdominal fat, and dietary
fat. They have also shown the beneficial effect of antioxidant nutrients.
Return
to Top of Page
|